


You've Got Text

by MiaMoonWolf



Series: You've Got the Love [1]
Category: Free!, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst, AoKi endgame, Aomine & Tachibana friendship, College, Fluff and Angst, Free is canon up until the last episode, Gentleman chapters are just crack, Haikyuu if you squint, Haizaki is a teacher, Happy Ending, High School, Hint of Free, Kuroko appears in name only, M/M, Main couple is AOKI others are side / support cast, Mostly KuroBasu, Slow Build, Takao is Aomine's uncle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-10 22:43:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 44,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7011214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaMoonWolf/pseuds/MiaMoonWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had all started on Friday when Momoi had confronted him.<br/>“Satsuki it’s ok, I can make friends.”<br/>She mumbled something. “What?”<br/>“I found you one.”<br/>Aomine scowled.<br/>“No listen it’s low maintenance, I met him online.”<br/>“You met who online!” Aomine said. She was dating some guy he’d never heard of. And now she was meeting weird guys online?<br/>---<br/>Momoi sets Aomine up with a friend. But what happens when Aomine starts to confuse friendship with something else entirely?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You've Got Text

**Author's Note:**

> Based on You've Got Mail, but modernized :)
> 
> This work is "complete" but really it is just the first installment in the "You've Got the Love" story. You can read it as a stand alone, but the ending (although it resolves everything) is more like the ending to a prequel, so I hope you'll continue reading in part II :)
> 
> Also please read the tags. I've received some complaints about the tags so I've tried to update them to reflect the final story more accurately. I'm sorry if you read through and were disappointed by the small amount of time that certain characters are in the story. So please read through the tags in regards to Free and Haikyuu.

You’ve Got Text

 

?1: We need to set some ground rules

?2: Sure

No response

?2: Like what

?1: Like no names

What? No names.

?2: Isn’t that going to make this kind of hard

?1: I don’t want to know who you are

?2: Fine fake names then

?2: or first letters.

?1: K

Alright he thought, that’s a yes.

?2: Ok mine’s A, what’s yours

?1: It’s K….

Shit he’d meant K the letter, not some weird short hand for OK

A: Cool

K: And I think that we shouldn’t tell each other any personal details

A: Then wtf are we going to talk about

K: I mean like, school names, or friends names

A: What about interests

He waited. He was starting to feel like this was more trouble than it was worth.

K: Yeah that’s fine

***

It had all started on Friday when Momoi had confronted him.

“Dai-chan I’m not trying to nag, but you don’t have a lot of friends.”

“I have you.”

Momoi raised her eyebrows.

“And Takao.”

“Your uncle doesn’t count, he’s family.”

Aomine huffed. “I hang out with the basketball team.”

“Only when forced.”

“What the hell Satsuki?”

Her face crumpled a little. “I’m just worried. Especially now that I’m dating Kimura.”

“You’re dating who now!?”

“Kimura.”

“I don’t like him.”

“Do you even know who I’m talking about?”

“…”

“He’s on the tennis team.”

They had a tennis team?

“Dai-chan please!”

“Fine ok Kimura, plays tennis sure.”

“Just, we won’t be spending all of our time together, and I-”

Oh my god she was crying CRYING shit. He wrapped her in a fierce bear hug.

“Satsuki it’s ok, I can make friends with Kimura and whoever else.”

She mumbled something. He let her go. “What?”

“I found you one.”

Aomine scowled.

“No listen it’s low maintenance, I met him online.”

“You met who online!” Aomine said. She was dating some guy he’d never heard of. Now she was meeting weird guys online? What kind of punk had she met? What if he was dangerous.

“I don’t actually know his name.”

Aomine’s jaw dropped. He was sure that he looked like a cartoon with how low it went.

“Wait just listen. I was talking to Tetsu about how I was worried.”

Aomine growled. “Your friend from middle school?”

She nodded. Great. He’d only met Kuroko a few times, and now he’d think that Aomine was some sort of anti-social freak.

“Anyways, he said that he knew someone who was also looking for someone to talk to, but anonymously.”

“What?”

“It means that he wouldn’t-”

“No I know what it means but what kind of an asshole wants to talk to someone but not say who they are?”

“I don’t know, but Tetsu vouched for him, he sounds like a good guy.”

Aomine was still scowling, even though he already knew that he’d agree to whatever Momoi wanted.

“Fine, give me his number, or line or whatever.”

“Ok,” Momoi said wiping at her eyes.

Honestly.

“And I’ll try with this uh, Kimura too.”

“…”

“What?”

“He’s in our grade.”

Fuck.

***

Aomine had met Momoi in elementary school and they’d been friends ever since. His parents were loaded. Like really really fucking rich. His dad worked for a really big modeling agency. And when Aomine entered junior high his dad was asked to relocate for a promotion. They’d told Aomine that he’d be starting boarding school, while they moved to Hong Kong where is father would be the regional manager. Frankly they weren’t great parents. They were never around when he was a kid, and they’d never even been to one of his games. They’d said that he would come to Hong Kong for the summers but he’d flat out refused to both boarding school and Hong Kong. He wanted to stay in Tokyo and hang out with Momoi. At which point his mother’s younger brother, Takao, had offered to take him in. Which really was better for everyone.

***

Takao was still at work so Aomine and Momoi had taken over the living room for homework. Her idea, not his.

She had shown him a picture of her and Kimura at the amusement park. He did actually recognize him. Which was good.

He was now lying on the couch while Momoi did homework at the coffee table.

“You should message him.”

“Who?”

“Tetsu’s friend!”

“What right now?”

“Yes Dai-chan! You have to build a rapport.”

He rolled his eyes. Fine. He pulled out his phone and tried to think.

A: So am I allowed to ask how old you are?

There done. But his phone chimed right away.

K: 17

Wow fast.

A: me too

“Did he answer?”

“Yeah.”

K: (≧∇≦)

A: wtf is that

K: happy face ≧(´▽｀)≦

“Momoi is this guy like, really I don’t know… uh optimistic and shit?”

Momoi frowned. “I really don’t know.”

Hmmm.

“What should I talk to him about?”

“Ask him about his interests,” Momoi shrugged as she went back to her homework.

A: Do you like sports?  
K: Yes!

A: You play any?

K: No time (╭ OO╮)

A: what

A: your club is really time intensive?

What club other than sports took a lot of time? Oh god what if he played shogi. Christ Aomine wouldn’t be able to handle it.

K: Nope I work!

A: You have a part time job and go to school?

K: You could say that

What? How else would you say it?

Aomine waited.

K: actually I live by myself and sometimes I have to do self-study

A: cause of work?

K: it’s complicated

“Hey Momoi, what does this mean?” Aomine said as he passed her the phone. He opened his magazine back to Mai-chan. Just because Momoi was doing homework didn’t mean that he had to.

“I think he wants to talk about something else. You should ask him what sports he watches, if he doesn’t play.”

***

“Daiki, do you have your game schedule yet?” Takao said as they ate dinner.

“Nah coach said that we’ll get it next week.”

“Ok.”

“Why isn’t Hide here?”

“Uh he has to work late.”

Aomine knew what that meant. _They broke up._

“He was kind of an idiot anyway.”

“What?” Takao said looking shocked.

“Just you know, you can do better,” Aomine said before shoveling more food into his mouth.

Takao’s lips twitched. “Ah you’re such a good kid,” Takao said as he fluffed Aomine’s hair.

“Ah stop! Don’t touch it you asshole uncle.”

“Don’t be mean Daiki!”

Aomine grabbed his plate and escaped to the kitchen where he started doing the dishes. He knew that he was selfish, but he’d taken some responsibility for himself when his uncle took him in. At first he just hadn’t wanted his uncle to change his mind, but now it was more that he knew that his uncle was giving up a lot.

Sometimes guys didn’t get why Aomine lived with Takao. Takao was only 10 years older than him and yeah he was a cool guy, and he’d gone to some really good school. He was pretty well off and if it weren’t for Aomine he’d probably have no problems with dating.

Aomine had mentioned it once.

“Listen here, you’re going to learn this in a few years yourself: dating people who don’t get your circumstances never works. I don’t want to date someone who can’t handle that I have a nephew to look out for.”

Aomine had nodded.

“You just don’t want to admit that you use me as an excuse to avoid dating sometimes.”

“You ungrateful punk!” Takao had said as he’d chased him around the apartment. Aomine had been teasing, but it was actually true.

He’d seen Takao do it. It would go something like this: 1) creeper hits on his uncle 2) Takao casually introduces Aomine ‘this is my nephew, he lives with me, we are almost always together’ 3) guy makes an excuse to leave within five minutes.

Anyways, Aomine was in the kitchen doing the dishes and thinking about Takao’s most recent ex. He didn’t know why Takao always dated dumbasses. He wondered if it was because no one was good enough for his uncle, so he always had to settle for less. And maybe he’d never realized that there were different levels of not good enough? Like Hide was a negative two but there were other guys who were sixes and Takao should go for the sixes.

He went to his room to start his homework.

***

Concerning K, it turned out that they both really liked basketball. Aomine had been skeptical, but after a couple weeks of all things basketball related he was convinced that K was also a believer.

He also learned that K was really busy. They didn’t talk every day. But sometimes K would send him photos. Not of anything important. Like pictures of something that he saw on his way home. Or his food. Actually there were a lot of food pictures.

K: COFFEE = LIFE

A: you drink it black?

K: yep!!!!

A: you don’t like sugar?

K: I do but I gotta watch my weight

A: Hah?

A: why the hell do you have to do that?

A: ur a guy right?

K: ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡

A: Yeah yeah don’t worry about your weight

K: I have to

Ugh

A: I’m sure you look fine

K didn’t say anything. Aomine didn’t worry about it. Satsuki had told him time and again about all the pressure on women to be thin. But he just didn’t really get it. And he had never met a guy who cared. Huh. Anyways he had to get to school.

***

Aomine was sitting in bio class and bored out of his fucking mind. He texted K. No response. Maybe he didn’t text in class? No he’d said just yesterday that he was in history class while they were messaging. Could he be at work? But it was school time. Maybe that’s what he’d meant by self-study and a “part-time job.” Aomine pocketed his phone feeling even grumpier than he had before.

***

Momoi had been right, they were spending less time together. She walked home with Kimura a lot of the time. But they still hung out at club and did homework together sometimes. And there were the phone calls. But he hadn’t realized how much time he spent with her until half of it was gone. He knew that she was trying to split her time fairly, but he still missed her. He didn’t tell her, but he was glad that he had K now. He was a distraction if nothing else.

Ok he was also kind of cool.

They had stuff to talk about.

And he was funny.

So it was good.

Or something.

***

After two months of texting he learned that K had two sisters who lived with his parents in Hokkaido. He went home for his breaks and it sounded like he had a really good family life.

Aomine had told him about his own parents and how he lived with his uncle. He hadn’t told anyone other than Momoi about his parents, but somehow it was easy with K. Maybe it was the fact that he never talked to him outside of text.

Also then he got to tell K about all of Takao’s different boyfriends, which K found hilarious.

***

Takao came to his first match of the season. He whooped and cheered along with the other parents. And he was quite loud. Aomine didn’t really find it embarrassing. Mostly he found it amusing. What he did mind though was when people would whisper about Takao. He was out and he sometimes brought his boyfriends. People had caught on pretty fast. And thus people knew Aomine as “that one kid with the gay uncle.”

Most of Aomine’s team didn’t care, but there were always those assholes who had an issue with Takao’s gayness. They didn’t think it was appropriate for Takao to be open about his sexuality. And they had sick ideas about Takao and Aomine’s relationship. It made him so angry.

Now Aomine was ‘popular’ in his own right because of his skills on the court. But it didn’t inspire fear into the first years. So they’d snicker when they recognized Aomine. Well fuck them. BUT sometimes they joined the basketball team. And Aomine was forced to get them in line. So he’d challenge them to a one-on-one. He took a perverse pleasure in beating them and then he’d always tell them: “now fuck off about my uncle; he’s the one who taught me how to play the game.” And they’d never laugh at him again. At least not to his face. His coach found it hilarious so he let it happen. He called it “initiation.” And Aomine got to go into the zone due to rage so it was always a good way to “inspire the team.”

***

K: Look at this cute kitty that I found

K: You think I could sneak it into my apartment?

He stared at the ugliest cat he’d ever seen. Cute? The fuck?

A: Probably not

K: I’m doing it anyway!

K: What should I call it?

A: Satsu

Satsuki + Tetsu = Satsu. Oh my god why had he just suggested that K name his cat after the friends that had introduced them. Was he an idiot?

K: That’s cute!!!

K: ((ΦωΦ))

Aomine felt a smile creeping on his face. He’d named the worlds ugliest cat after his and K’s friends.

From that point on Aomine got updates from K about the cat. He felt like it was half his cat with how much he knew about it. He didn’t even like cats. But this one seemed ok.

***

The season continued and it wasn’t long before K started texting him in the morning. They went something like this

K: It’s so early (˃̥̥ω˂̥̥̥)

K: Thank god for coffee

K: breakfast!!!!!! ƪƪ’▿’) _image attached_

K: off to work ( ^_^)／

A: OH MY GOD QUIET

Aomine didn’t even need his alarm anymore. It was like an avalanche of texts.

A: And that’s not breakfast

He sent as he brushed his teeth.

K: yes it is! Eggs are breakfast

He was halfway dressed.

A: eggssssss not egg and definitely not hardboiled

He finished changing.

K: Don’t be so mean to me all the time

A: can’t help it you’re too easy to tease

He headed out to the kitchen where Takao was pouring himself coffee.

His uncle stared at him. Aomine ignored him to grab the cornflakes.

“You’re awake,” Takao finally said.

“Yeah,” Aomine said as he pulled out the milk.

“It’s 6:30 in the morning.”

Aomine huffed and looked at his uncle.

“Yes Takao it is 6:30 in the morning. Do you want some cereal?”

Takao just shook his head. He seemed to be unsure about whether he should ask Aomine why he’d been getting up earlier and earlier, what if something was terribly wrong? But getting up early was a good thing too…. He decided not to comment any further.

***

“Mr. Aomine, detention,” Haizaki said.

Aomine shut his mouth mid-yawn. “Why,” he said angrily.

“For disrupting my class with your uh, lack of focus,” he leered. He came closer and Aomine scowled at him.

“And you will address me in a more polite fashion next time, if,” he loomed over Aomine, “you don’t want more detention.”

Aomine was so pissed that he hadn’t even remembered that he was texting in class.

“Ah, I think I’ll have to keep you for two hours,” he said as he snatched the phone.

Aomine’s heart was beating so fast, his look of hatred replaced by one of terror, but Haizaki wasn't reading the messages. He watched in his periphery as the screen went black. Safe.

“Give my best to your uncle next time,” Haizaki said as he turned back around.

“It wasn’t Takao,” Aomine said, before he could stop himself.

“Dear me who then?”

“It was my-” Aomine stopped himself. Haizaki raised his eyebrows.

“No one,” Aomine paused before hastily adding on, “Mr. Haizaki.”

“Good,” he said before strutting back to the front of the class.

Aomine could barely focus. Haizaki hated Takao. And now he’d had his phone confiscated. He just wanted to text K. Fuck and his coach was going to murder him.

***

At lunch he broke the news to Momoi.

“What did you do Dai-chan?”

“Nothing! He got mad at me for yawning. And then he saw that I was texting and confiscated my phone.”

“Dai-chan…”

“What? It’s not my fault that he has a hard on for my uncle and is too pissed because no matter how shitty Takao’s taste is it’ll never be shitty enough to include him.” Takao had told him that “Mr. Haizaki” aka Shougo had been in school with him.

Momoi was looking uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything. Which meant that she probably agreed with Aomine to some extent.

***

He barely made it out of detention alive. Haizaki had spent most of it making snide comments. And Aomine had just sat there in stony silence doing his homework for every class, but Haizaki’s.

“Ah a text from uncle dearest.” Haizaki said as Aomine’s phone lit up.

Aomine didn’t say anything.

He’d waited for 30 minutes after the text came before he was allowed to leave. He snatched up his stuff and bolted.

When he got home Takao was pacing.

“Daiki you got detention!”

“Yeah,” he said running a hand through his hair.

“What happened? I thought you weren’t getting detentions anymore,” he said looking pained.

Shit. He absolutely could not tell Takao.

“It was nothing.”

“What? No what happened?”

Aomine looked away, Takao was too smart for him anyway.

“Was it Haizaki?”

Aomine nodded.

Takao didn't say anything for a while. Aomine hated telling his uncle when Haizaki gave him detention because Takao always felt bad. Takao knew that Haizaki just wanted to torment him through Aomine.

“Let’s go out.”

“What?”

“Or are you meeting Satsuki?”

“Nah.”

“Alright so café?”

“Sure.”

***

They went to their usual café and sat on the patio. Takao bought him a shit ton of food. He supposed it was his way of apologizing, not that he needed to.

K: What’re you up to

A: out with my uncle checking out guys

“What about that one?”

Aomine looked up to where a guy with a shock of red hair and glorious muscles was talking to a group of teenagers.

“You think he’s a coach?” Aomine said absently as he looked back down at the screen.

“Gotta be.”

“Handball?”

“Maybe swimming,” Takao said thoughtfully.

“Either way he’s way too young for you.”

“What? Daiki how can you say that.”

“He’s only like a few years older than me,” Aomine grumbled.

K: You’re into guys?

What? He looked back up at his previous messages. Oh shit. No wonder it had taken K so long.

A: No

He stopped to look over at Takao who was still ogling the sports guy. He sighed before looking at the guy too.

A: Maybe

He really did look good.

A: Ok like definitely a little

A: Just don’t tell my uncle, I refuse to tell him I’m bi

K: what?

A: It’ll make him way too happy

It was true too. And because Aomine was a sick fuck, he wanted to deprive his uncle of this simple joy. If Takao knew, Aomine would never hear the end of it.

A: Anyways yeah we’re looking for him not me

K: Do you do that a lot?

A: what look for guys? Yeah

A: it’s not really serious

A: used to just happen when we were at our usual café and stuff. He does a lot of work from home so he’d be doing work and I’d do homework

A: but he’d get distracted, so then I’d get distracted

A: anyways, now my homework is more like a prop, we don’t get shit done usually

K: lol that’s hilarious (o>艸<)

Aomine smirked.

“Say hi to Momoi for me,” Takao said.

“What?” Takao looked pointedly at Aomine’s hand, which was poised over the text pad.

“Oh no it’s not Momoi.” Shit. Takao looked startled at first, but now he was grinning. Great.

“Who’re you texting Daiki?” His uncle said as he scooted closer.

“No, nope no one.”

“Your girlfriend?”

“No!” Aomine said in annoyance. He held his phone out of reach.

“Your boyfriend?” Takao said as he leaned closer, clawing at Aomine’s chair. He couldn’t help it, he blushed.

“Oh my god! Daiki what?”

His uncle had practically pounced on him.

“No, stop, off, bad uncle.” Aomine said as he fought for control of his phone.

Finally he extricated himself – this wasn’t their first scuffle shuffle. He brushed himself off and looked up. He flinched as he realized that the group of teens was looking at him.

“Uh… sorry about that, just um family love,” he said scratching his neck. A couple of them giggled before they traipsed away.

“Damn, I missed my chance.”

“Nah he’s definitely straight.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck.”

Aomine didn’t check his phone until he got home.

***

K: So he just picks up random guys?!?!!??

A: No he never talks to them, idk it’s just kind of a game I guess

Aomine imagined the faceless boy nodding along. It had been three months since they’d started texting and it was starting to feel… he pushed the thought down.

Aomine had been fighting the urge to ask for more for some time now. He wanted a name and a face and a voice. At first it hadn’t mattered. But now… well there was just no escaping the fact that he spent more time talking to this person than anyone else other than his uncle and Momoi. And it just felt wrong not knowing. He knew that the guy wouldn’t give up his name, and he definitely wouldn’t send a photo. But maybe he’d agree to talk on the phone. Aomine bit his lip.

A: Hey K? I want to ask you something

It took awhile for the guy to respond. Aomine had the sneaking suspicion that he knew what Aomine was going to ask.

K: Yeah?

A: What if we did a phone call

A: just hear me out. We could change our voices, but we’d be able to talk then

A: like actually talk

He waited. Nothing. Shit.

An hour later he was reading a basketball magazine in bed when his phone chimed.

K: ok

Aomine froze. What? WHAT?

A: Yeah?

K: Yeah

Aomine could hear the TV on in the next room. He walked over to corner of his room and sat on the floor. He stared at his screen. This was it. He was going to-

His phone rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing song of the week: Robin Schulz "[Sugar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvC_0foemLY)" - feat. Francesco Yates  
> 


	2. You've Got Voicemail I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A: look at this fucking shark

His phone rang.

“Hello?” he said.

“Hey,” came a slightly musical voice.

Aomine huffed out a breath.

“Hey,” he said again and then winced. He could hear the guy chuckling.

“So how’d the pick ups go?”

“Hmm, I’d say that the highlight was when my uncle asked me to go after some girl so that he could seduce her boyfriend.”

“So did it work?”

“What? I didn’t- I wouldn’t-” but K was cackling on the other side. Aomine found that even though he was pissed, he liked that laugh. He’d never heard it before so….

They’d talked for three hours… _three hours straight._ And Aomine was finally starting to hear all of the dumb emojis come to life.

“I should get to bed, I have to get up early for work,” K finally said.

Aomine didn’t want to hang up.

“Ok,” he said.

“Uh.”

Aomine waited. The guy laughed and cleared his throat.

“Night A.”

Aomine took a deep breath.

“Night K.” The line clicked off.

Aomine put the phone on his nightstand and got into bed.

He stared at the ceiling unable to sleep.

Shit.

***

They talked every few nights on the phone.

K still woke him up most mornings. He wasn’t sleeping as much. But he didn’t really mind.

“Dai-chan you’ve been working really hard these last couple of weeks,” Momoi said looking relieved.

“I always work hard in basketball.”

“Yeah, but, it’s just different.”

Aomine scowled. He was feeling very protective of his actions.

“It’s a good thing,” she said laughing.

Aomine nodded.

“I don’t know I’m just feeling good.”

He shrugged before going to hit the showers.

He didn’t know why, but he kept going back to his text to K telling him that he was bi. He was bi, but it was more like, he figured that when he met the right person he’d know. Like he didn’t really care who they were.

He didn’t understand why it was bothering him now though. I mean he’d never been concerned about his sexuality before, so why did he care now?

His life consisted of three things: Momoi, basketball, and Takao. Girls had confessed to him, but he’d never gone out with any of them seriously. Actually he usually made them cry.

Scene 1:

Girl: Aomine I really like you, please go out with me.

Aomine: Why do you like me? Do I even know you?

Girl: *Bursts into tears*

Scene 2:

Girl: Senpai please go out with me, I really like you.

Aomine: It’s the beginning of the basketball season. I don’t have time to fuck around.

Girl: *slap*

Yep it happened at the start of each year. But then word would spread and people usually didn’t try later, which was good because he wanted to put exactly zero effort into dating. Now if he met someone and they were friends and if happened naturally that would be different. But girls were selfish. They always wanted him to be their basketball star boyfriend, not just Aomine Daiki. And he didn’t have time for that shit, or money.

He groaned. His brain needed to stop it right now.

“You’ve been sighing a lot,” Momoi said giving him the usual x-ray.

“Just thinking,” he muttered as he crossed out another wrong answer in his homework.

“You’ve bee doing what Daiki?” Takao said as he came into the living room.

“Absolutely nothing,” Aomine said.

“Right,” Takao smirked. “Satsuki are you staying for dinner?”

“No I need to get going actually.”

“Alright well next time then.”

After Momoi left Takao sat down on the couch next to Aomine. He was doing that thing with his hands where he tapped them on his knees. It was distracting. But more importantly it usually meant that he had something unpleasant to discuss.

“What?” Aomine grumbled without looking up.

“I talked to your parents today.”

That got his attention.

“And?”

“They were really surprised that you got scouted.”

“You told them?”

“I had to, they’re your parents.” Takao said looking both exasperated and worried.

“Fine, whatever, but I haven’t gotten anything official yet so…”

“Yeah, but you will.”

Aomine shook his head. His parents were probably pissed.

“So are they coming here to give me a lecture?”

“What?”

“They don’t want their idiot son to go into sports right? That would just confirm what they’ve known all along.”

“Now Daiki, it’s not like that. Your dad was really pleased.”

Aomine stared at Takao. There was something weird about it. His dad always talked about how Aomine needed to find a ‘real job.’ To ‘prepare.’ He narrowed his eyes. Takao looked uncomfortable. Aomine’s brain, which was now online thought it through.

“Oh, I get it. They thought I wouldn’t be able to get into university with my grades.”

“No Daiki.”

“It’s fine you don’t have to say anything about it, I already know that I’m dumb.”

“No you’re not dumb,” Takao said. And he actually seemed upset.

“Yeah I am, but I’m damn good at basketball. So what? They’ll ignore that I can’t do school, because I’ll still make money in basketball?”

Takao didn’t say anything. All Aomine’s parents cared about was money. Money and prestige.

“Did they even ask if I wanted to go professional?”

Takao shook his head. “You do though right?”

Aomine was silent. Yes, he did. But he was still pissed at his parents. Pissed at them for not even caring about what he wanted or who he was.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Look Daiki, your parents, well they do love you.”

Aomine gave him a stern glare. Takao gave a half-hearted shrug.

Takao never said anything mean about his parents, but Daiki thought that Takao agreed with him.

“Do you think that I should go professional?” Takao’s opinion actually mattered.

“It’s what you want?”

Aomine nodded.

“Then that’s all that matters.”

They sat in silence.

“Well I’ll let you get back to your homework.”

“Yeah.”

But Aomine just stared at his worksheet before packing up and heading to his room. He shouldn’t care about his parents shittiness anymore, but, well he did care.

***

Aomine was lying in bed, unable to sleep, when the phone rang.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.”

Aomine sat up, K’s voice sounded kind of quiet.

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah I’m ok. Are you?”

Aomine sighed. “Yeah, just I don’t know.”

They both stayed silent for a while.

“What’s wrong?” K finally said.

“Nothing, really, just my parents are being their typical asshole-selves.”

“Oh.”

More silence.

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah it’s fine. I just keep getting pissed, but I should expect it from them by now.”

“Yeah, but they’re your parents. You’re not supposed to have to deal with their shit.”

Aomine gave a wry laugh.

“Yeah, you’re right.” He felt slightly better.

“Anyways what’s going on with you?”

“Not much, I just had a kind of hard day at work.”

“What happened?”

“It’s nothing, just, yeah I was feeling kind of badly too.”

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah,” K said softly.

Aomine’s stomach dropped a little at the quiet tone. What the fuck? Had he eaten something weird? He quickly asked K what else had happened that day. Resolutely ignoring any weirdness that he was feeling.

By the time K said that he needed to get to bed, Aomine was feeling relaxed again and he drifted off to sleep.

***

The final league games were almost over and Aomine was completely high on the impending inter-high competition. Touou would definitely make it. Last year his team had come in third, which was no easy feat, but he was still holding out for first place. He didn’t want to lose. Not again.

He was finding that he was more and more busy with practice. Sometimes he’d come back late after going out with Momoi to study. Takao didn’t mind so long as he was with Momoi – after all she “kept him out of trouble.” But it did mean that he missed calls from K.

He didn’t answer his phone if he was with Momoi, and also he hadn’t actually told her much about K.

She’d asked a few times.

“How are things going?”

“Good.”

“Do you guys talk a lot?”

“Yeah, he’s cool.”

She seemed satisfied with that answer and hadn’t pried. But Aomine still knew that he should probably give her an actual update on his social life. Especially now that he had one. But well whatever.

***

“Do you want to go to the aquarium with me and Kimura next Monday?”

It was a holiday and Aomine had been planning on sleeping all day.

“Hah? You’re inviting me to crash your date?”

“No, just I thought, I mean maybe it would be good if you got to know each other a little more?”

She looked so hopeful. Aomine sighed.

“Won’t he feel like I’m intruding?”

“No, he wants to hang out with you too.”

Aomine nodded, resigned to this sudden change in his plans.

“Yeah sure, but I’ll leave after so that you guys can have a real date.”

She smiled.

“So sweet of you Dai-chan.”

He grumbled, but didn’t say anything else.

***

So here they were at the aquarium. Aomine tried not to size up Kimura. He didn’t really know him that well, but some of Aomine’s classmates talked about him. Overall conclusion: nice guy, pretty smart. Yeah that sounded like Momoi’s type.

Aomine had told Takao that he was going to the aquarium with them, and Takao’s eyes had lit up. The idea of Aomine third-wheeling was apparently too good to be true.

“Wait no, ok I’m done laughing,” Takao said breathing heavily. “So how are you going to act?”

“Hah?”

“Well you need to show him that you care, but that you’re not a threat.”

Aomine had been utterly perplexed, but Takao had told him what to do. Ask Kimura non-invasive questions. Be interested and present, but also give them some space. Honestly he felt like he was on a school fieldtrip, not just hanging out. But he tried.

He found out about how Kimura had offered to share his umbrella with Momoi when hers broke. Apparently they lived near each other. And then they’d just started talking from there. Aomine asked about his family, hobbies and other interests. Kimura seemed like a good guy. And Momoi seemed really happy with how Aomine was acting, which in social situations, was just shy of a miracle. Usually he fucked things up royally.

He also made sure to give them space. Which consisted of him taking pictures of all the animals and sending them to K.

A: look at this fucking shark _image attached_

K: wahhhh that’s terrifying

K: |Д´)/

A: If I were a sea creature I’d be this shark

K: then we couldn’t be friends

K: |˄·͈༝·͈˄₎.｡oO

A: Cause I’d eat you for breakfast?

K: you’re so scary

“Who’re you texting? Takao?”

“Who’s Takao?” Kimura said pleasantly.

“Ah he’s my uncle,” Aomine said. Apparently Kimura didn’t know the rumors. Or he was just being polite. “But nah, I’m messaging K.”

Momoi looked at him.

“Ah Kuroko’s friend,” he corrected.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that you sent each other pictures.”

“Yeah, like I said he’s cool so.”

Kimura smiled along.

“That’s really good Dai-chan!” Momoi said, her eyes glistening.

“Ok, ok calm down.” Aomine looked to Kimura, slightly worried that he’d be put off with how close they were, but he was chuckling good-naturedly. Thank god. No fuckups today amen.

***

Aomine had said his goodbyes after the aquarium and headed home.

He called K on the way.

“A, hi,” K sounded surprised.

“Ah sorry, is this a bad time?”

“No, it’s-” Aomine heard someone talking in the background. “Just a second.”

The sound stopped. K must’ve covered the other end. “Actually can I call you back in an hour?”

Aomine deflated slightly. “Yeah, sure.”

“Ok, I’ll call you later. Bye A.”

“Bye.”

***

When K called that night Aomine was in bed – he was usually in bed if he wasn’t at school.

“Hey, what’s up?”

It was silent for a minute.

“Actually there’s something that I want to talk to you about.”

Aomine felt himself stiffen.

“Is Satsu ok?”

“What? Yeah,” K said laughing.

That cat always looked like it was on its last legs in every photo that K had sent him.

“No it’s just… things are going to be kind of hectic at work for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh.”

“So I won’t be able to talk as much.”

Aomine felt his heart sink. Why did he feel so shitty?

“No that’s ok,” he sighed out. “It’s good timing actually, because we’re almost at the inter-high. That’s why I haven’t been able to take some of your calls.”

“Oh, ok…” K’s voice trailed off.

Aomine waited.

“I just-”

He could hear K clearing his throat as if he might be about to cry… Aomine bolted up, hyper-aware, pressing the phone closer to his ear.

“I just didn’t want you to think that I don’t want to talk, because I do.”

“No, it’s ok. I get it. If you have work then you have work.”

“Right. And you have basketball so it’s ok.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll try to still text a lot.”

“Sure.”

Another pause.

“Well I should uh,”

“Get to bed,” Aomine chuckled. K always left first.

“Yeah,” he breathed out as if he was relieved.

“It’ll be fine. Good luck at work.”

“Right. Ok. Yeah. Night A.”

“Night K.”

Aomine, the idiot, did not understand how his brain still had time to think. And now he was worried, because his brain, which had been on sleeper mode for the last 17 years was finally starting to power on. And what he had realized was that K wasn’t just a friend. He didn’t know what he was. Friend of the month? Best guy friend? No, he couldn’t think of K as a bro. There was just something off about that mental image.

***

He was at the last match to qualify for the inter-high. Every year he felt the pressure, like lava in his stomach. There was nothing like it, it made him feel powerful, invincible.

He loved this feeling, there was nothing else compared. And all he needed to focus on was this court, this moment, this opponent.

He took a breath and lined up with his team. He was going to win.

***

And win he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! I hope that this chapter was ok :D
> 
> My song for writing this week: Koala Kontrol Blackbear "[4U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9gqem723Lk)" the acoustic version.


	3. You've Got Voicemail II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What is he a panther?” K didn’t sneak. He’d never actually seen him, but he could tell, by his uh voice. He wasn’t the type.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh look it's not even the weekend yet :P

“Dai-chan you did it! We’re going to inter-high.”

“Oi Satsuki, I’m sweaty.” Satsuki wasn’t like other girls, she didn’t care about her makeup getting messed up, or things like that.

“I’m just happy for us.”

“Let’s go get steak!”

Aomine turned around to see the rest of his team all fired up. Fuck yes.

“Yeah steak let’s go,” he said as he went over to the locker room.

***

“Ihara’s going where?” Aomine said through a mouthful of steak.

“Tohokudai.”

“What. Damn that's so far.”

“Yeah but if you got into Tohokudai you’d move to Miyagi too right?”

“Fuck.” That was true. “Satsuki where are you applying?”

She frowned at him. “I’m not telling you.”

“Hah?”

“Dai-chan we can’t go to the same school.”

“But we can go to schools near each other.”

She crossed her arms.

“What?” he said in exasperation.

“When you get basketball scholarships to the best schools in Japan I don’t want you to pick a bad school just because it has a good business school attached.”

“You’re going into business?”

“Dai-chan I’m not telling you.”

“Fine, jeez I get it you don’t want me to ruin my future. Whatever.”

Ok not whatever, but still.

***

He called K that night to tell him that they’d won. He felt giddy, knowing that K would be excited for him.

The phone rang five times before he finally picked up.

“Hey,” Aomine said. “We won, we’re going to inter-high.”

“I’m sure Ryouta would love to hear about it,” came a smooth voice.

Aomine stopped walking. Who was that?

“What?”

“Well he’s in the shower right now.”

Aomine didn’t really know what to say.

“You see sometimes he gets really dirty at work.”

That didn’t sound very…. Maybe he did construction?

“You know what I’ll just call later.” Aomine said. He felt weirdly uncomfortable.

“But we just got a chance to talk.”

Like I give a fuck. Aomine thought. He wanted to talk to K or _Ryouta_ apparently.

“I’ve been curious. Wondering who it is that he’s always _sneaking_ off to talk to.”

“What is he a panther?” K didn’t sneak. He’d never actually seen him, but he could tell, by his uh voice. He wasn’t the type.

The guy on the line gave a low dark chuckle. “You’re cute. I see why he likes you.”

What the hell?

“I told him that he should bring you along next time. It would make things more interesting.”

“What to work?” Aomine said, but even as he said it he realized that something was wrong. This man sounded creepy as fuck.

“No, no love, after work. I could watch.” Oh shit, rating just went from PG to NC 17.

“Mother fucker.” He hung up. He was proud that he’d left, but he still felt a chill run down his spine. _Sometimes he gets dirty, he should bring you along, I could watch._

He broke into a jog.

What was K doing leaving a guy like that alone with his phone. While he was in the shower…. No no no why was that guy at his house while he was showering? Normally Aomine wouldn’t think twice about it. But the way he’d talked…. Everything in Aomine’s body was telling him to run faster and to simultaneously stop moving completely.

Ryouta. K Ryouta. It rang a bell. Wasn’t there a Kawaguchi Ryouta in his grade? Wait no but he definitely lived with his parents. So it couldn’t be him. He tried to think if he knew any other K Ryouta’s, but that slick voice kept slipping it’s way into his mind.

***

He finally reached home.

“Daiki you did it!”

“Yeah,” he said.

“Are you ok?” Takao asked.

“Yeah, no, I don’t know.”

He was starting to get angry. He was always angry when his brain failed him.

“Shit,” he muttered as he punched the wall. He needed his hands for basketball so he’d held back slightly.

“Woah, take a seat champ and tell oni-san what’s wrong.”

Aomine looked over. This was true. Takao knew things. He was smart. And good with people.

He sat down. Takao’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything, just quickly got into his chair.

No fuck no, he just needed to talk to K.

“No I can’t,” he stood up and stalked to the bathroom. “I’m sorry I need to shower.”

“Wait Daiki.”

He shut the door. Hoping that Takao wouldn’t ask about it later.

The shower hadn’t helped. Nor had trying to do homework. Nor reading about basketball or Horikita Mai. But at least Takao had left him alone. Only one small tap on his door and a whispered “let me know if you need anything.” Aomine paced around for awhile, before getting into bed. He couldn’t sleep.

***

What was that whispering? No wait it was music. He blinked his eyes open. His phone screen was lit up. It was _K_.

He grabbed it.

“Hello?”

He knew that his voice was gruff with sleep.

“A? Did I wake you?” came a quiet voice.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” He said. He was trying to wake up but it was so hard. “What time is it?”

“It’s one.”

He groaned pitifully.

“Sorry, I’ll call back tomorrow.”

“No don’t, it’s fine,” he said making a more valiant effort. He sat up and stretched. “What’s up?”

“Um, Reo talked to you right?”

The phone call from earlier came back to him. He stopped mid-stretch his eyes stuck on the poster across from him. He felt cold.

“Yeah.”

“Did he- did he say anything?”

Shit how should he answer that?

“Yeah.”

K didn’t say anything for a little while.

“What did he say?”

Aomine sighed. There was no way to do this right.

“I don’t know K. He told me your name.”

It was silent for a while.

“So now you know,” K said. And he didn’t sound right.

“Well,” Aomine felt uncomfortable, he hoped that this rule breaking wouldn’t count, considering that it wasn’t his fault. “Yeah there are a lot of K Ryouta’s though. I thought that you might be this guy in my science class, but then I realized that he definitely lives with his parents so….”

“Wait, what?” he sounded incredulous.

“I said that he lives with his parents? Or I realized that we probably don’t go to the same school. I didn’t want to have to talk to you about it over frog dissection anyway.”

K didn’t say anything.

“Are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m here, ok yeah. It’s ok.”

“Ok,” Aomine said, but he was feeling really confused. The lack of sleep wasn't helping him. It was making him think stupid things, like how he wanted to tell K that Reo did not seem like a good guy, at all.

“I’m sorry that Reo talked to you.”

Aomine’s heart sank a few inches. His brain was clearly on vacation because the next thing that he said was.

“He didn’t talk about you like you were friends.”

He could hear K’s breath hitch.

He waited.

“It’s complicated.”

Aomine continued to stare at his wall. Wasn't what was going on right now with him and K complicated too?

“We’re not dating.”

He felt a weight lift, but then wait... He swallowed. That didn’t mean that they didn’t fool around.

“Ok,” he said because there was nothing else that he could say.

“It’s not- I don’t-.”

Silence.

“It’s just hard to explain,” K said quietly.

“Hard because he’s your sex friend?”

“He said something?”

His brain had officially shut off.

“Please,” K said. A slight tremble to his voice.

“He asked if I wanted to join you, while he watched.”

He heard K’s breath hitch again.

That was all he needed to know. “I’ll just go,” he said. He wanted out. Out of this feeling. Out of this conversation.

“Wait no, please A. Just. I’m really sorry. We work together and I know that he’s not great, but. Just he only said that to get you angry. We’re not actually together.”

“Why would he do that? He doesn’t even know me.”

“I can’t tell you why,” K finally said.

Aomine was just- he couldn’t. K wasn’t explaining anything.

“You’re having sex with someone who you don’t even like? Like not even as a friend?”

“We’re not having sex anymore,” K said quietly. He sounded so sad that Aomine felt bad all of a sudden. “I told him that I wanted to stop about a month ago.”

Aomine processed that for a full minute.

He could hear sniffling.

“You shouldn’t be with a guy like that anyway.” He couldn’t help saying it. That guy was a fuckboy.

“And who am I supposed to be with then?” he said through his tears.

“Shit with someone like-” he had been about to say _me_. Oh no. No, no, no, fuck no. How had this happened? Was he an idiot? Why would he think that?

“What?” K said again.

“Someone who doesn't say weird things about you. Someone who doesn’t invite other people over for you to have sex with just because he’s bitter that you stopped your whatever with him. Someone who doesn’t care who the fuck you talk to on the phone and who doesn’t want to piss off your,” his breath caught, “friends.” He wanted to punch something for having to say that word. He didn’t even know why it felt so wrong to say it.

And then so quietly that Aomine had to strain to hear, K said, “would you care who I talked to?”

Aomine felt his heart beating so fast that he could barely breathe.

“No.”

He waited, trying not to think too loud, afraid that K would know what he was thinking.

“He was just a distraction.”

“You definitely deserve better.”

“I can’t have better.”

“What if you could?” He didn’t even know what he was thinking anymore. All he knew was that he’d never felt so strongly before. He’d never felt such a strong desire to show someone that they meant more than what they were being told.

K chuckled half-heartedly, but Aomine could tell that he was still crying.

“It’s impossible.”

They sat there in silence.

“You said you wanted to go,” K finally said.

“Why don’t we just stay on the line?”

“What?”

“Just, we can talk until we fall asleep.”

“Ok.”

They talked quietly and then finally Aomine drifted off to sleep.

***

When Aomine woke up the next day his alarm was blaring. He rolled over and stared at his phone.

K: Thanks for last night

Aomine’s heart rose up. Fuck he needed to get to morning practice.

He hated his life. He’d met someone, a good someone, who had just stopped being in some freaky sexual relationship with a bad someone. And he didn’t even understand why he cared. He just wanted K to be happy. That was reason enough right?

***

Training that week was rated F for Fucking Unbelievably Exhausting. K had been right about him being busy with work. He knew that it had nothing to do with Reo, but it still felt like it did. And Reo worked with him. The prat. He was probably hitting on K right now. Not that he had time to worry. He needed to focus. These next four weeks could define his future.

***

“Takao, have you ever had a friend who was messing around with someone that was just, not good at all?”

Takao gave him a weird look.

“Yeah.”

“What do you do?”

“Is this about Satsuki? I thought you said that Kimura was nice.”

“No he is,” right of course he’d think that. Takao didn’t know about K.

“It’s another friend of mine, I met him through Satsuki.”

“Oh, ok, well is his girl just vapid or what?”

“Uh he’s with a guy. Or he was with a guy. They’re not anything anymore.”

Takao stared at him.

“They were never dating just,” he ground his teeth, “screwing.”

Takao was giving him a kind of strange look. Aomine averted his gaze.

“This guy he’s not hurting your friend is he?”

"I don't think so, at least my friend said that he broke it off."

“Ok. Well if your friend chose him then that guy was his guy. If he has self-esteem issues, or is severely closeted then he may have felt like this guy was his _only_ option. But if he’s not having any issues then he probably just likes guys who aren’t that nice.”

Aomine frowned. He couldn't see K liking guys who weren’t nice. Because K was so nice. The nicest in fact. Did he have self-esteem issues? Was he closeted? He didn’t actually know if K was out. He should ask him.

“Hey thanks Takao.”

“Yeah anytime punk.”

Aomine laughed before standing up and stretching.

***

K: Satsu says good morning _image attached_

A: good morning you terrifying cat

K: don’t be mean to Satsu! ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´(00)`ﾟ)ﾟ｡

A: nah im just being mean to you

***

It was Friday night. The night before his first game of inter-high.

“K, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Yeah?”

“No just are you out?”

K was quiet.

“My family knows.”

“Ok.”

“And some of my close friends and I guess people like Reo.”

Meaning people that he’d fucked.

“Ok.”

“Why?”

“I was just wondering.”

“Oh. Um… actually talked to Reo about the other night.”

Aomine didn’t say anything.

“I was really angry after what he did,” his voice got quieter, “I told him to remember that he wasn’t my boyfriend and that he didn’t get to say whatever he wants to- to my friends.”

Aomine hadn’t really heard K be cross before. It was kind of scary in a ‘oh shit you pissed off the sunny kid’ kind of way.

“And he said that he was just joking, but it’s not funny.”

Aomine would later consider why it was that K getting pissy made Aomine turn into even more of an idiot.

“K I want you to come to my game this weekend.”

He hadn’t meant to say it. It just kind of….

“I can’t.”

Of course he’d say no. But after all their talks recently, he had almost forgotten that he hadn’t met him in person. That he only had K Ryouta to go by.

“Yeah,” Aomine said. He knew that he sounded bitter. But he couldn’t help that.

“When’s the last game of inter-high?”

“August 8th.”

“August 8th…. I’ll go if you make it to the last game.”

What? Wait had he just…

“I’ll make it.”

“Ok.”

“Wish me luck tomorrow.”

“Good luck A.”

Aomine felt something warm stir in him. And also something cold. Had K sounded sad?

“Well goodnight, you have a game to win tomorrow so I’ll let you sleep.”

“Yeah, night K.”

The line went dead.

Aomine sat up and stared at the wall. He couldn’t imagine him, but he could imagine what he’d feel like if…. He snaked his hands into his pants and closed his eyes. And it didn’t even take that long, not when he could still hear K’s voice ringing in his mind. _Good luck A._

***

They won. They fucking won. Aomine was on such a high. They’d won the quarter final. He called K.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Reo,
> 
> I'm sorry. 
> 
> Love,  
> your wolf friend  
> \---------  
> My writing song this week: "[I've Fallen For You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nc8PJvkU2E)" by Tom Redwood  
> 


	4. You've Got Voicemail III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine smirked. “No one’s out of my league.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy weekend!!!!

Aomine had been extremely busy with practice. His team won the semi final match against Yosen and after going out with his team he’d promptly called K on his way home. He’d noticed though that K hadn’t been messaging him as much. He spent a whole three days worrying about whether he should ask or not. Finally he just gave in.

A: Hey, everything ok? You’ve been quiet.

It was probably just work after all. Aomine wasn’t expecting the message to come back so quickly.

K: Yeah

K: actually I feel like time is slipping away

Time?

A: like you’re too busy?

K: more like everything’s going fast

Yeah Aomine could relate. He could barely catch his brain up to the reality of his last inter-high and a chance to finally meet K.

K: a lot of things are about to change for me

Aomine tried to think about what to say without asking what would change.

A: do things have to change?

K: yeah

A: you just don't want them to?

K: I do

K: but things are different now

K: you know when you have two things that you really care about but you can’t have both?

Yes, like basketball and all of the ice cream in the world.

A: Yeah

K: well it’s that kind of feeling and I also promised myself that I’d do something before it all goes to shit, but I’m scared.

A: Why

That hadn’t really been clear. He couldn’t ask what K had to do but he could ask about the feelings part.

A: why are you scared

K: because a lot of people will be angry

Aomine usually didn’t like it when people were purposefully cryptic. But he knew that K wasn’t baiting him. He was being vague because of the rules, not because he was trying to get Aomine to ask about him. He wondered if K felt that ache to tell Aomine, like how Aomine ached to tell him everything too.

A: Why do you have to do it?

K: I just, I can’t pretend anymore

K: I’m usually not very open

Open? K was extremely open.

A: You’re open with me

Yes he didn’t know what school K went to or his full name, but he knew the other stuff. The stuff that made K, K.

K didn’t say anything. Aomine chewed his lip.

A: Why do you need to tell people

His phone was silent. Had he asked something “insensitive” as Satsuki would say?

Should he apologize?

A: Will it make you feel better if you do it?

K: yeah

K: If I tell people then I won’t feel like I’m hiding who I am

K: and the timing’s right

Aomine didn’t really know what that meant. He kept stuff to himself, but he had the out-est of gay uncles, hiding things wasn’t really how things were for him and honestly he liked it that way. But it sounded like K had more to worry about. He shouldn’t feel like he had to hide things though.

A: You should do it

Silence.

K: Yeah?

A: Yeah, like I’m the nephew of the craziest gay uncle and I just have to come out with it. That’s life.

K: But you’re not out as bi right?

That was definitely true

A: Yeah it’s more that I don’t know how to talk about it so I just don't and it’s no ones business anyway

He thought about how to explain it better.

A: Like if I started dating someone I would tell my best friend and anyone else too who I was close to

K: you make it sound so simple

A: it can be simple for you too. I mean are you worried about what your friends will say?

K: Not my friends.

K: My coworkers? And other people

Why did he even have a job? How did he have time to go to school too?

A: Well what’re you going to do?

K: I already talked to my boss so I’m going to do it

A: Ok

Aomine hesitated.

A: I wish I could help more, I could call you?

K: I have to get to work early (个_个)

K: But I guess you’ll know tomorrow

Aomine’s brow furrowed. Was he going to tell him tomorrow? This sounded like something that was really personal though. And K had all those stupid “rules.”

Aomine didn’t give a shit about the rules. He sighed. He wanted to hurry up to his game when he could meet K. ACTUALLY meet him. Then they could talk about all this stuff in person. It would be easier.

K had said that they couldn’t exchange names or pictures because they might like go to the same grocery store or something. But seriously what did it matter at this point? K was one of his only two friends (Momoi was right Takao didn’t count.)

He realized that he hadn’t responded.

K: Shit I gotta go - I’ll ttyl s

A: Let me know how it goes

K: ok

Aomine didn’t really want K to say goodnight, but as always-

K: bye A

A: bye K

***********

Aomine hadn’t slept well. He’d been worrying. Fucking _worrying._ Hell and now he was worrying for his sanity, because he was actually thinking – for like _a month now_. A WHOLE MONTH. His head fucking hurt.

His alarm went off. K hadn’t woken him up that morning. Probably too busy with work.

He rolled over.

His alarm went off again. “Fuck!” he yelled.

“Aomine Daiki, get your cute ass out of bed and stop cursing! You’re too pretty for that shit,” his uncle yelled through the door.

“Takao five more minutes,” he yelled just to piss his uncle off even more.

The door burst open. “Listen to me you punk I’m finishing all of the cornflakes so hah! Take that you selfish brat.”

Aomine groaned. Ugh his uncle was so dumb.

He rolled over. Shit but now he wanted cornflakes.

He got to school early. He didn’t even know how without K’s extra-early wakeup texts.

He was yawning at his locker when he heard a gaggle of girls whispering near him. He looked over. They were pouring over some magazine. God how could they read that shit. Aomine had a strict no-models-no-actors policy. It was how he rebelled against his parents, by being willfully ignorant of anything to do with that industry – with the exception of Mai-chan. And also all the shit that his uncle went on about, that trashcan. He grabbed his stuff and headed to homeroom.

As he got to the door a girl hurried past him sniffling, her friend close behind her. Huh. Whatever. In he went. Usually people were talking quietly to their friends. It was too early for all of them, but today there was a buzz of chatter. A bunch of the boys were talking animatedly to some of the girls.

“Oh shit what? Are you serious?”

“Damn that’s crazy.”

Aomine dropped his stuff at his desk and turned towards the group. Ugh he was curious. He walked over.

“Dai-chan did you see?” Momoi said as she looked up at him.

“See what?”

“Kise Ryouta just came out,” Momoi said.

“Hah?”

Several of the girls gave him annoyed looks.

“You’re so silly,” Daigo said as he cackled and clapped him on the shoulder. They were on the team together.

“He’s a really famous actor,” Momoi said as she handed Aomine the magazine. She leaned in closer to whisper, “he’s signed by the company that your dad works for.”

He stared into a pair of big golden eyes. There was an article about a _Kise Ryouta, age 18, male model and heartthrob actor._ K Ryouta. Nah but this K Ryouta was 18. And also famous and probably didn’t talk to plebeians. The magazine had several photos of Kise looking frankly delicious if Aomine had to describe him in a word. Alluring and pretty, but also strong as fuck. Damn those were some impressive muscles.

“He’s kind of hot,” Aomine said.

One of the girls burst into tears. Satsuki snatched the magazine back. Daigo was laughing again and Kimura was trying not to laugh as he looked between Aomine and Momoi.

“Your uncle influencing your tastes?” Kimura said. Hah so he did know the rumors! Some of the other guys laughed too. Some nervously, maybe afraid that Aomine would get mad at them. Aomine had to admit that Kimura was a good guy. The gay-uncle thing didn’t seem to phase him at all. And he didn’t treat Aomine like the star of the basketball team either.

“Yeah, yeah, so I can tell when guys are hot. Seriously Takao makes me go people watch with him.” Aomine was shaking his head. Remembering their last viewing of the red headed swimmer.

“Dai-chan I think Kise’s out of your league,” Satsuki said looking amused.

Aomine smirked. “No one’s out of my league.” A couple of the other girls threw him nasty looks as they left for their own desks.

“What an Aho,” one girl muttered. She and her friend seemed to be in full agreement that Kise was better than Aomine. They weren’t exactly whispering. Ah well.

“So why aren’t you in tears too Satsuki?”

“Dai-chan I have Kimura,” she said looking exasperated.

“Not going to go run off with a famous actor?” Kimura said.

“Even if he were straight I wouldn’t,” Satsuki said as she smirked at Kimura. Aomine and Daigo faked retching noises, before going to their own desks. Two minutes until the teacher came in. He snuck out his phone to message K.

A: Alert, girls passing out everywhere. Too many tears, not enough water left in their bodies.

No response. He should clarify, he didn’t want K to think that he’d made them cry.

A: I didn’t make them cry though. We can blame one Kise Ryouta. Apparently pretty boy came out and all the girls at school are done.

Still no response. He was probably busy. Aomine quickly stashed his phone feeling worried again, he hoped that injecting some humor into K’s day would help whatever was going on with him.

Huh Kise Ryouta. See another K Ryouta, they were everywhere. But who cares about that guy Aomine just wanted to meet his K Ryouta. Full stop. Edit: the K Ryouta that he’d been talking to, not _his_ K Ryouta.

By lunch time all the boys knew not to talk to the girls, they were all freaking out. It was like the zombie apocalypse. How popular was this guy? Aomine went to the bathroom during lunch to check his messages. Still nothing. He looked up Kise Ryouta. Wow he was in three really big films and he was only 18. Aomine didn’t really watch anything that wasn’t basketball related, although now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing this guy’s face on a billboard once, and on the covers of some of Takao’s magazines.

A: Damn ok so pretty boy is actually really famous. He’s been in like 3 big movies and he’s only a year older. That’s crazy. Have you seen any of his stuff? My uncle’s probably going to dub this national Kise day. We’ll have to like watch all of his films. Shit he better be as good as these reviews say.

He scrolled down to another post about the model-turned-actor.

_Kise Ryouta to model for Christian Dior._

Aomine skimmed the article while he waited in case K messaged him.

“Dai-chan what took you so long.”

“I was taking a dump.”

“This is why you can never keep a girl,” Daigo said, pointing his chopsticks at him. Rude.

“That and the fact that he calls male models hot,” Satsuki said slyly.

“Oi who’s side are you on?” Aomine said.

She shrugged.

Aomine shoveled his bento.

***

By the time he got home he still didn’t have any new messages.

A: Hey are you ok? How did it go with your colleagues?

Aomine forced himself not to message again until K responded.

As it transpired, Takao did want to watch all of Kise’s films. And it was Friday so he was going to pull an all-nighter.

“Takao I have club in the morning.”

“If it weren’t inter-high. I’d let you skip.”

“Can I roll that over for future use? Like after inter-high can I take a free skip?”

Takao stared at him. “Fine. Well we better start now. I’ll even hold back and only watch his first two films tonight. We can watch the other one tomorrow. Although it won’t be the same if we watch it tomorrow.” Takao sighed looking off into the distance longingly.

“Why because it won’t be national pretty boy day?”

Takao’s eyes gleamed. “I’m ordering pizza.”

Excellent. Now this was a plan that he could get behind. And he had to admit that he was intrigued by the model. He didn’t have proper “gay pride” like Takao. But he recognized that it must be hard to be famous and out so the least he could do was support the guy.

Aomine was itching to message K during the films. He wanted to ask what he thought of the movies.

At around 10 his phone finally buzzed. They were halfway through the second movie, which was good because he had to get up early for practice.

K: Yeah I heard about Kise.

A: See just another K Ryouta telling the truth. Must be something in the water today

A: how are you

K: im ok, it’s just been a really hard day

Aomine felt his heart lurch. He didn’t know what to say. His first instinct was to go over to K. Wherever K was and just check on him.

A: I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?

K: No

K: I mean, I want to talk about something else. Like not think about it anymore

K: What’re you up to?

A: Kise movie marathon. Leader of the gays. Light to all etc.

K: You’re watching the movies?

A: Yeah my uncle fucking loves this guy he’s so pleased that he’s come out

There were a few minutes silence.

K: And what do you think?

A: He’s a good actor. I like the movies so far

A: And thank god because we’re watching all three this weekend

A: My uncle’s been kind of off recently because he’s not dating

A: something about soul searching or some shit so this coming out has weirdly good timing

K: Really?

A: yeah I mean it’s the small things right?

A: I should send him a thank you card J

K: ˚(* ˃̤൬˂̤ *)˚

Aomine could practically hear him laughing through the message. He smiled, glad that K was at least laughing, even if he still felt shitty.

K: wait… have you never seen the movies before?

A: yeah I didn’t actually really know who he was.

A: I mean I recognized him but I only watch basketball

K: oh

A: what are you a big fan? Is this a deal breaker for you?

Aomine had sent it before he’d realized what he said. He prayed that K didn’t think anything weird. Just a ‘friendship-deal-breaker.’

K: not a deal breaker

Thank god.

He texted K through the rest of the movie and then hauled his ass to bed.

***

Practice was good, not too hard because the next day was game day. Their match would be against Shuutoku, another powerhouse. They always made it to the top four. Aomine would be lying if he said that he wasn’t nervous. But he had to just focus. Not think about the scouts. Not think about K. Either way they were number four at least and that meant that he’d be going to school for basketball.

“Aomine, come here for a minute,” coach Harasawa said.

“Yeah coach?”

“You’re planning on taking this show on the road.”

It wasn’t a question. Aomine nodded anyway.

“I’ve been talking to some people. Keep up the good work.”

He nodded again.

“Thanks Harasawa.”

Harasawa looked uncomfortable – he got that way when his favorite players were graduating. Aomine hadn’t noticed but Momoi had pointed it out to him once. “Look he’s trying not to cry because Imayoushi is graduating.” Aomine had watched Harasawa’s face then and had tried not to smirk. Well this was the same look. He hurried to the locker room, not wanting to make Harasawa feel any more sentimentality.

He messaged K during the last movie, but he didn’t answer. It was just as well because Aomine needed to get to bed early.

***

They were losing. Not by a lot, but enough that Aomine was worrying. Shuutoku had been consistently two points ahead.

He looked up at the stands. Searching. There was Takao, staring at him with that steely gaze that meant business. Aomine had to find a way to get into the zone in the last quarter. He had to. For the first time in his life basketball wasn’t just basketball – it was his ticket to meeting K (somewhere in the back of his mind he recognized that K wasn’t the type to _not_ meet him just because he lost a game.) But it was more that he wanted to prove to K that he cared enough to win. And that he was serious about basketball. This was his life. He needed basketball like he needed air.

He closed his eyes.

_Daiki you got this! I’m so proud of you._

_Dai-chan we can win. I know that you can win this year. You’ve been so focused._

_K: Good luck._

He opened his eyes and felt the simmering beneath his skin.

***

Final score: Shuutoku – 81, Touou – 84

***

A: I’m going to the final match

His hands shook slightly as he put his phone down and turned to follow his team out.

***

He woke up at one in the afternoon on Monday (it was a holiday thank god.) And then he just laid in bed, before finally deciding that he could wake up. Naturally he grabbed his phone to check his messages.

Satsuki: Dai-chan let’s study today

Satsuki: I got you something as congratulations so don’t even think about not coming out to study!

He was so fucking tired, but he grinned all the same.

A: satsuki I’m so happy

A: I’ll even try to study

A: that’s how fucking pleased I am

S: we won dai-chan… we’re in second place and you’re going to get to go to any school that you want

S: Harasawa is probably freaking out

A: I can only imagine and I love the idea of him being pissed at being so happy

A: you want to come here or should I go there?

S: come over. My parents went to the game and have a love poem to speech at you about how good you were.

A: hahahah give me an hour?

S: k!

He got out of bed before checking his other messages.

K: morninggg

K: off to work so tired ＼| ￣ヘ￣|／

K: A are you still asleep….

K: I’m going to be grumpy if I had to go to work while you slept in

Aomine smirked.

A: yeah I slept for 10 hours. Take that

K responded right away.

K: 凸(>皿<)凸

A: how’s work

K: just finished for the day – now I have to go home and do homework

K: congratulations on your win

K: I’m so happy for you ヾ(@°▽°@)ノ

A: thanks

A: you’re still coming right?

K didn’t answer for a while. Aomine was feeling nervous now. Why was he so weird all of a sudden? But then his phone rang.

“Hey,” Aomine said more relieved than anything else.

“I’m still coming.”

“Way to leave a guy hanging.”

K laughed quietly. Aomine felt lightheaded.

“My ag- manager came over right when you messaged me, sorry.”

“Oh. Nah it’s fine.”

“Hey, so what would you do if you met a famous person?”

“Huh?”

“Like if you saw Kise Ryouta on the street what would you do?”

Aomine was so confused.

“Uh nothing? I mean I don’t know him so why would I talk to him.”

He could hear K’s musical laugh.

“I don’t really know actors or models though so I probably wouldn’t recognize them. Why?”

“Just wondering…”

What? K was being kind of weird. Aomine had a strange idea.

“You… is-, is he your type?” Did Reo look like that? Or whoever the other guys were? K hadn’t said that there were other guys. But usually if a guy has hooked up casually with one guy then he’d done it with other guys too. At least that’s what Aomine surmised from what the guys in his class said about their sexcapades. But seriously why else would he be asking these questions unless he was fantasizing about this guy. Wondering what he’d do if he met him on the street. Aomine felt like he’d swallowed something sour. Aomine didn’t look like Kise… which could be-

He looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror. And what he saw there was jealousy. He did not like the way it looked on him.

Cut it out, he told himself. He was not going to be that guy who was jealous every time his friend had a crush. Or his not-friend-but-not-something-else had a crush.

“What?”

Shit he’d totally spaced out.

“Nothing,” he said more normally. “Sorry I was just wondering if Kise was your type.”

There was an extremely awkward laugh that came through the phone.

“Not my type, that is just not, nope.”

Aomine felt his brow furrow. Why was he laughing? Aomine wasn’t even worried, just confused. He seemed to be experiencing this feeling a lot recently. Actually, he seemed to be experiencing feelings recently full stop. “Then why all the questions about him?”

“No just, never mind.”

“Ok,” he said. This didn’t matter. He could just let it go like he usually did. So what if K liked the way Kise looked. So did Aomine.

“Hey, sorry. It was a weird thing to ask.”

“Nah it’s fine. Hey I gotta go meet Sat- my uh best friend to do homework though. Actually you’ll see her at the game. Cause like I’ve said she’s the club manager.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too. Just, yeah, yeah K thanks.”

“For what.”

“For supporting me.”

“Oh… yeah. Yeah ok, um bye A.”

“Bye K.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions about the new plot points lmk. I don't have anyone checking my writing so I can't tell if it's confusing or not. Hopefully not lol :)
> 
> My writing song: "[Call on me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQl-V9xq7Lo)" by Starley  
> 


	5. You've Got Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I feel bad for his future subordinates.”  
> “Yeah they’re fucked, they’ll never be good enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So some people have lives but I have baileys in my coffee and fan fiction WHOOPS

K: Would you ever get a cat?

A: No

He didn’t like animals. Just as a general rule. Not that he disliked them, but still. And then he thought about Satsu.

A: maybe if it were mangy like Satsu

K: so you do like Satsu!

Aomine didn’t respond, he hated losing.

K: I know you do

K: cats out of the bag

A: srsly

K: d=(´▽｀)=b

Aomine snickered. He was in the bathroom about to brush his teeth. And when he looked up he saw a look that he’d never quite seen before one his face.

Fond? Was fond a look? Anyway, toothpaste, now. His breath was rank.

***

It was getting closer and closer to game day. He was practicing like a fiend. The whole school was getting fired up. People were wishing him good luck in the hallways, and he wasn’t learning a damn thing. Which is how he preferred it.

He didn't message and call K that much, he needed to focus.

He and Momoi were basically in a constant haze of, run to practice, study together, sleep like the dead.

***

But finally it was time. The day had come.

Game Day.

He pulled out his phone before the match. He and K had talked about it. He’d told him that it was Touou versus Rakuzan and the when and where.

A: Ok I’m going to send you my name and number ok?

He half expected K to back out, he didn’t even know why. Maybe just because he was so damn nervous.

K: Ok

A: Aomine Daiki #5

He closed his phone. He had to get to the court.

He hadn’t told Momoi, because it still didn’t feel real. He didn’t want to break this spell. Today he was going to play for K. Takao was also watching. He wasn’t really sure how he’d navigate the post game. Well no time to think about that now. He needed to focus on playing.

And after he’d met K he would talk to Momoi. He had to. He would tell Takao too. That he had a… new and really amazing friend.

It went by slowly and it went by quickly all at once. He felt like he was in a different world. K, Takao, Momoi, none of that was real. His parents weren’t real. All that was real was every second that his hands made contact with the ball. Every second that he realized that he’d never played someone like Akashi Seijuurou before. He pushed himself as hard as he could. And then Akashi went into the zone, his dichromatic eyes gleaming. And Aomine was in the zone too, but it wasn’t the same. Akashi’s zone seemed to trump him at every stop. But he pushed harder, and at the end of it he wasn’t embarrassed about how he’d played. And yet still final score: Rakuzan 67 – Touou 66. There was no second place in basketball. Every game was a new game and it was only win or lose. And he, Aomine Daiki, had lost.

And there was Akashi Seijuurou saying that he was going to take over his family business; that even though he had all this talent he didn’t care. That he wasn’t going to keep playing. That Aomine would never get the chance to beat him. His knees hit the floor. He’d lost. He’d lost to someone who didn’t want it.

“Dai-chan, you have to line up to bow.”

Aomine was on auto-pilot he got in line, he thanked Rakuzan for the game, he thanked their supporters, and he stood with his team as they got the second place trophy.

It was one place closer than he’d been the year before, but he didn’t get another chance at inter-high, this was the end.

He was in the locker room changing. Harasawa said that he would set up meetings with the scouts for later. He’d reminded Aomine that there was still the Winter Cup, but even Harasawa couldn’t hide how upset he was that they’d lost.

Aomine could only nod.

He went outside and told Takao that he’d meet him back at the apartment later.

“Daiki are you going to be ok? I know that I have this business trip tonight, but I can cancel.”

“No it’s fine, I’m meeting my friend anyway.”

Takao was silent for a minute.

“The one who was with the sleaze ball?”

“Yeah,” how had he known?

Takao seemed to be deciding something.

“Ok well be safe,” he said carefully.

“I’m always safe,” Aomine said in confusion.

Takao’s mouth hung open, before he turned around and then turned back.

“I’ll be back early, just so you know.”

“Ok.”

Takao was still giving him a strange look as he turned back around, waving vaguely.

And as the team dispersed he took out his phone.

No new messages.

A: I’m waiting outside.

He turned to lean against the wall and look out, searching for a face that he wouldn’t recognize. He all of a sudden felt self-conscious about his appearance. He was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. Maybe he should’ve worn something nicer. But he couldn’t care right now. He waited. People were drifting off and slowly the outside of the complex was becoming less crowded. Aomine was starting to get anxious. What if K hadn’t come? Hell what if he had come and Aomine wasn’t his type? What if he had just been stringing him along…. There were only a few people left now, and none of them could be K. Too old, or too young, or people that he already knew. He felt his palms begin to sweat. He’d been stood up, no one else was left.

He pulled out his phone. There were no new messages.

He stared at the screen until it went black. He didn’t know what to do. What do you do when you’ve built someone up and they don’t sho-

“Hey.”

Aomine jumped and looked up at- at Kise Ryouta. Kise Ryouta wearing dark jeans and a low-cut black V-neck. His mind stopped. He looked past him. Maybe K knew Kise? No one else was there.

“Aren’t you?”

“Kise Ryouta,” he said.

Aomine was confused.

“You uh, know someone who played?” he asked. He didn’t want to be rude, but he had more important things to think about right now.

“Yeah.”

“Oh,” he was getting desperate. “Do you know K by any chance?”

Kise gave him a weird look. And then he was blushing. “Um, I am K?”

K Ryouta. _Kise Ryouta._ He’d told himself that they were different so he hadn’t even thought about it when the model had walked up. He was even dumber when he was nervous. Shit that game must’ve fucked with his faculties more than he’d thought.

“But you said you were 17?”

“My birthday’s in June,” Kise seemed to be flustered all of a sudden, the cool unruffled vibe completely replaced.

“Just wait,” he pulled out his phone and handed it to Aomine so that he could see the models texts. They were _his texts._

“Oh.” His brain was back online. “K Ryouta, Kise Ryouta,” he tried to remember all of the things that they had talked about. Oh my god they’d talked about _him._ Jesus, he’d asked if Kise had seen his own films.

He handed the phone back in silence. His brain was on fire.

Kise was biting his bottom lip.

“Should I not have come?” he said quietly.

“What? No. No, just I’m kind of playing catch up here,” he said as he stared. He felt tense.

This was the guy who’d slowly made his way into Aomine’s life. The guy who woke him up in the mornings and talked to him while he was in bed at night.

“Are you angry?” Kise said chancing a glance up.

“Why would I be angry?”

“Because I didn’t tell you who I was.”

“I didn’t tell you who I was either,” Aomine said. What did that matter?

Kise huffed out a laugh. But it just sounded nervous.

“Oh shit.”

“What?”

“You asked me about Kise Ryouta, well about you,” this was so awkward. “And I thought that you liked…” _yourself, and I was jealous._ There were some things that were best left unsaid.

Kise was actually laughing now. “Sorry that I asked so many weird questions.”

So that’s what he looked like when he laughed. Kise was looking at him again.

“No it’s ok, I’m just, I’m glad to finally meet you. I mean not you Kise Ryouta, but you K. Shit I didn’t mean it like that, uh- I don’t usually talk this much.” Aomine was babbling. For the first time in his life. He hoped that K understood that it was because of what K did to him. Not because he was stupidly famous.

“Yeah I know,” Kise said.

They stared at each other.

“So, is this ok?” Kise finally said.

Aomine didn’t understand. He just stood in silence.

“I mean do you still want to…”

What? Did Kise think that he wouldn’t want to talk anymore?

“Yeah, I mean do you?”

“Yes.”

“Damn, I can’t believe this.”

“That I’m Kise?”

“No, well I mean there’s that, but I just I’m so relieved. I thought that you were a no show.”

“No, I just wanted to wait until everyone was gone, because well.”

He shrugged. But Aomine understood.

“And I didn’t want to come in a disguise, not when….” He was looking down and Aomine instinctively grabbed his hand, and then let go feeling embarrassed. He laughed awkwardly. “Sorry, just yeah, I’m glad you didn’t change your, uh appearance.”

Kise was looking down and nodding. But then he reached out and squeezed Aomine’s hand just once. Maybe to let him know that everything was ok?

“Let’s get out of here,” Aomine said as he spotted a gaggle of high school girls passing by and giving them interested looks. “Do you want to come over?”

Kise hesitated.

Shit they’d just met and he’d invited him over.

“Sorry you don’t have to.”

“No I want to,” he said relaxing.

“Ok, um the train’s…” he paused. Did Kise Ryouta take the train?

“I have a car,” Kise offered. “So as to avoid getting mobbed.”

“That sounds scary as hell.”

“You have no idea. One time I lost a shirt. I was running around in my jeans.”

Aomine gulped, trying not to imagine what Kise would look like shirtless, his brain filled in the missing pieces by supplying the magazine pictures that he’d seen at school.

Kise led the way to a black car. Aomine got in the back with him and gave Kise his address.

The drive was fairly quick. And they talked about Aomine’s season for most of it. About scouts and names, and faces, and places, and there were no rules.

When they got to the apartment Kise looked apprehensive, but just smiled when Aomine looked at him.

In they went, and Aomine realized how small it was. Not that he was embarrassed, but he’d never really shown anyone his digs before.

“Kitchen, living room, bathroom. That’s Takao’s room, Takao’s my uncle. He’s uh yeah.”

“He’s not here right now?”

“Oh yeah he has an overnight business trip, so he had to leave right after the game.”

Kise nodded. He didn’t quite know why Kise looked so uncomfortable. Did he not want to be alone with him?

“Uh is that ok?” Aomine asked.

But then Kise was staring at him. His eyes looking between Aomine’s. He must’ve been happy with whatever he saw there, because he was smiling again, and his eyes were lit up like a sunset. Wait what? Aomine needed to calm down.

“It’s fine. Your apartment’s really clean.”

“Yeah Takao’s a neat freak. But I don’t know about his own room, who knows what you’ll find so we better not risk it.”

Kise laughed. And damn but Aomine loved the sound of his laugh.

“And uh, this is my room,” he said as he opened the door and turned on the light. He hadn’t made his bed, there were clothes all over, and the walls were covered with basketball posters.

He hovered by the door while Kise went in and looked around.

“Yeah this fits,” he said turning back to Aomine and smiling. He felt his heartbeat quicken, he really was gorgeous. Kise’s smile faltered.

“I’m glad you like it,” Aomine said, not moving.

Kise walked over to where he was.

“Aomine,” he said. And his voice had dropped slightly, his eyelids lowering. Aomine gulped. He felt as Kise reached up to touch the ends of Aomine’s hair.

“Your hair’s a really nice color.”

Aomine tried not to breathe. But then he realized that he had to, but Kise was just smiling at him before moving back into the living room.

“So what do you want to do?” Kise said stretching up.

“Honestly I just want some food,” Aomine said as he recovered himself.

They attacked the fridge. Aomine explained to Kise how he had perfected the post-game sandwich attack.

“Takao always stocks up the fridge during inter-high for me.”

Kise looked on in mild horror as Aomine made the biggest sandwich in the history of sandwiches.

“So what do you want? I can make you a Dai-sand too if you want.”

Kise’s eyes were huge as he shook his head side to side slowly.

“Uh, I’m not really hungry.”

Aomine remembered Kise saying that he had to watch his weight. He looked him up and down.

“Being a model must be so shitty. I mean you look good though, but not being able to eat,” Aomine said as he walked over to the couch. He put his sandwich down before coming back to where Kise was frozen in the kitchen.

“You want something to drink?”

“Green tea?”

“Always.”

They were on the couch. Aomine shoveling with his feet up on the coffee table and Kise primly sipping his tea.

“A, you were incredible today.”

“Except I got my ass handed to me by that ass,” he said through a mouthful of sandwich.

Kise snorted. It was such a silly laugh that Aomine found himself smiling too.

“He was pretty terrifying.”

“Yeah, jesus I don’t think he’s human. Not with that kind of talent.”

“I feel bad for his future subordinates.”

“Yeah they’re fucked, they’ll never be good enough.”

“It must really piss you off that you won’t get a chance to beat him.”

“Yeah,” that was exactly how he felt. He and K were so in sync. “There’s still Winter Cup, but… I don’t know, it’s not a lot of time to…. Shit I just I lost.”

He’d almost forgotten about it what with the excitement of meeting K.

“Hey, sorry, you really were incredible,” K said earnestly.

Aomine shrugged. He’d been ok.

“You want to watch a movie? Or I have Tekken?”

“Ooooh maybe a movie? I wouldn’t want you to have to choose between a controller and your sandwich,” Kise said grinning.

“You’re right, so right.”

They crouched by Takao’s stash of movies.

“I haven’t even seen half of these,” Aomine said as he pulled up something that looked like a really bad romcom.

“Your uncle likes The Flash?” Kise said.

“Uh, he must? We have a lot of Western superhero shows.”

“How about Batman? We could marathon.”

“Excellent.”

***

They talked sports, superhero’s, Kise’s job, their schools. As it turned out Kise went to Kaijou. Aomine’s team hadn’t played them this year, but he’d played them the year before.

“So have you been to a Touou – Kaijou game?”

“No, it’s hard with work. I wasn’t even there most of last year.”

“Oh… right. Your movies were good, actually now that I know you it’s kind of creepy imagining you in Night Creatures.” He remembered Kise’s character being covered in blood after his father was killed by one of the demons that had come to take over earth.

“Yes but my character survived the whole film, that’s the important part.”

Aomine laughed. “Hah yeah I suppose.” And then he had another thought. “Reo said that you got dirty at work he just meant….”

Kise let out an annoyed sigh and rolled his eyes. “He was just being a dick, he said all that shit on purpose.”

“Oh.”

“Really we only slept together,” Kise’s cheeks had heated up. “And now we don’t so….” He looked up at Aomine as if worried about what he’d think.

“I’m just relieved, I was I don’t know I mean, I thought maybe he was making you do things that you didn’t want to.”

Kise looked miserable. Shit.

“No, I agreed to everything, I liked that he was interested,” K said looking down.

Aomine wanted to kick himself.

“Hey,” he said as he scooted closer and put his hand on Kise’s shoulder to rub it carefully. “You know that I get it right? I mean people want to have sex.”

Kise had turned to look at him and they were altogether way too close. K smiled weakly before biting his bottom lip and nodding.

“I just didn’t want you to think that I was a- a slut or something.”

“What?” Aomine said totally floored. That word was not in his vocabulary.

Kise was laughing, “I guess I didn’t need to worry.”

“Yeah no, that’s just, you’re fine.” Aomine had stopped rubbing his shoulder but he didn’t want to move his hand.

They kept watching the movie, Aomine’s arm bent up on the back of the couch loosely encircling Kise’s shoulders.

He felt Kise’s head lean back into it slightly.

“So your best friend is the manager?”

“Yeah, Momoi Satsuki. My parents are never around so my family is just Takao and well she’s like a sister.”

“You’ve never thought about dating her?”

Aomine turned to look at him. “Have you thought about dating your sisters?”

“Uh… I’m gay?”

Aomine turned back to the screen.

“I’ve never thought about dating her.”

He could hear Kise let out a breath. What a weirdo. He couldn’t even think about Momoi like that. It was gross. Besides he needed to be there to make sure that her boyfriends were good enough.

Kise moved closer.

They kept watching.

***

After the first movie they put in number two. And then number three.

They hadn’t finished it, but Kise’s eyes were closed.

There was something almost childlike about the way his head leaned into Aomine’s arm. He felt a small smile tug at his lips. What was this feeling?

“Do you want to stay over?”

Kise blinked up at him.

“Hmm?”

“I can get the futon out, or,” his breath hitched. “Or you can stay in my bed.”

“Yeah,” Kise said sleepily as he stood up. “Your bed.”

Aomine followed in a daze over to his room.

Kise was taking off his shirt. Aomine couldn’t help but stare, he was so tired.

Kise looked over to where he was standing half-in half-out of his room.

“Are you coming to bed too?”

Aomine nodded before pulling his own shirt over his head and dropping his sweats. He took the side by the wall and Kise laid on the outside. They were all together too big for such a small bed. So Kise turned towards Aomine and laid his head on Aomine’s arm. Kise hummed happily as Aomine pulled up the blankets and Aomine wrapped his other arm around Kise’s waist pulling him in closer. He didn’t want him to fall off of the bed.

“Night A.”

“Night K.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing song: "[Lean On](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqeW9_5kURI)" by Major Lazer and DJ Snake ft. MØ  
> 


	6. You've Got Snailmail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Satsu...."

Aomine woke up and rolled over into something hard. He blinked his eyes open, his head having been smashed into the wall.

“Fuck.”

But then last night came back to him. His pulse quickened as he rolled back and stared at… nothing.

He sat up. Where was Kise? He felt slightly worried as he got out of bed. He grabbed his phone. If Kise wasn’t in the apartment then maybe he’d left a message, he opened his phone as he left his bedroom to look around.

No messages.

He called Kise. It went to voicemail. He called him again. He didn’t answer. Aomine left a message as he checked the bathroom and then turned towards the living room / dining room.

“K it’s me, where did you- no never mind. There’s something that I need to tell you. I-”

He stopped. There was Satsu staring at him.

“Satsu….”

He looked up to the dining room table where he saw a bright yellow envelope.

He closed his phone as he walked over to it.

***

 

_A,_

_I’m sorry that I’m leaving like this._

_I have a lot to explain, so please just read this._

_Back in January my agent told me that she’d gotten me an audition with Christian Dior. I passed and in March they told me that I had an opportunity to go to France for their fashion campaign. The campaign would start in August and after that she was sure that I’d be able to get other contracts as well. I signed on for a year, with the possibility of extensions._

_Before I met you I was excited about the prospect of leaving Japan. I knew that I’d miss my family, but if it was too lonesome then I could come back after only a year, and they were happy for me too._

_I told my agent when I signed the contract that I wanted to come out, and we planned for me to do it right before I left. France is more accepting of gay men than Japan is so we decided that the timing would be good._

_Concerning Reo and my history:_

_Back when I started high school and moved to Tokyo to model and act I started experimenting. Just hookups. But then I met Sho when I was 16. We talked all the time and I liked him so much. He had voicemails and messages and a few inappropriate photos that I’d sent him. And at 16 I liked this guy who was 25 and who, as it transpired, had just been using me. I almost lost my position at my agency. I had to pay a huge amount of money to keep him quiet and retrieve the photos. But I had already been in Night Creatures and was almost done filming Nouveau. If I hadn’t had my start so early it probably would’ve been the end of my career._

_After that I only fooled around with people who were also models or actors._

_Reo models with my agency. And after Sho I didn’t want to deal with liking someone. So I always fucked around with guys like Reo. The ones who were bad enough that you’d never fall for them, but good enough that they wouldn’t hurt you. With Reo I never had to worry about him screwing me over. And I thought that was just how things went when you were famous and too young to tell a bad guy from a good guy. Never getting too close, never letting anyone in. But I couldn’t do it. I just wanted a friend. Someone who I could talk to and not be Kise Ryouta._

_My mom always said that my heart was too big and that’s why I was always hurting. Of course I had Kurokocchi, but he doesn’t really text or call and I wanted to talk to someone our age. He suggested that I make a friend who didn’t know me. I thought it was impossible, but before I knew it he had a phone number. Someone that he vouched for. Kurokocchi and I were friends before I got famous, he’s one of the only people that I’ve met here who hasn’t changed how they treat me. If he vouched for you then you must’ve been decent._

Aomine’s hands shook as he flipped to the second page.

_And that’s when we started talking. And everything you said and did just made me confused. And I started liking you and I didn’t even understand how, but I knew I did._

_I couldn’t tell how you felt at first, but then I realized that you liked me too. I was so happy but it could never work. I was leaving. Leaving Japan, leaving any prospect of being with you. So I tried to pretend that I hadn’t noticed, because I was pretty sure that even you hadn’t noticed your feelings. I just wanted all the time with you that I could get._

_But it hurt. It hurt to know that you liked me back. I tried not to encourage it, but I couldn’t help it, because I wanted to be with you. And I thought that we must both be insane to have these feelings for each other when we’d never seen each other. But I couldn’t stop it. And even though I knew it would hurt you I just let myself fall deeper, get closer._

_You’re blunt and oblivious, and you’re honest. I couldn’t believe it at first when you didn’t realize who I was. But that’s just like you. And just like that I realized that I knew you. That I’d never known anyone I’d met in the “real world” better than I knew you._

_And I felt so guilty, because I hadn’t told you about me leaving. And you’d called me “open” but I’d been keeping you in the dark._

_The closer it got to the time that I had to go the more confused I was and the worse I felt. When you asked me to come to your game, you sounded so stupidly excited and my heart hurt because I wanted to be there so badly. To support you. But I couldn’t and yet even though my head told me no, my heart told me yes and so I went._

_And here I am now leaving you. Just like your parents did and I’m so sorry. And I know that you’ll never forgive me. I couldn’t tell you that I was going to France, because I was afraid that you’d make promises that you couldn’t keep. That you’d say that you’d wait for me. But you can’t. You have a life here and I’ll be on the other side of the world. You can’t graduate and not go out to meet guys or girls, because of me. You can’t have to skype me on weekends._

_And I know that you can’t forgive me, but even so I have to tell you that_

_I love you A._

_I won’t ask you for wait for me to return. I’ve changed my number to make it easier. I hope that you’re able to find someone. Someone who’s worthy of you. You deserve the world._

_Yours,_

_K_

 

 

Aomine stared at the letter. Then he put it on the table and looked up.

He hauled Satsu into his arms and stood still as a statue.

He didn’t know how long he stared at the door.

He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe.

***

The door opened.

“Daiki!”

Takao’s face fell.

No don’t be sad Takao. Why do you look like that?

Aomine’s legs shook. Satsu hissed as she leapt out of his arms. He was falling and Takao caught him.

“Daiki?”

Aomine took the letter and shoved it at Takao. He watched as Takao’s eyes raced across the pages. And his expression went from confusion to incredulity to rage and confusion again and finally to sadness as he put the letter down and hauled Aomine over to the couch.

Aomine sat down and that was all it took. He was crying. Silently and slowly. K had been right. He hadn’t realized how he felt. But he’d also been wrong. Because Aomine had never felt this way about anyone. And he might be dumb, but he knew that that had to mean something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song for this chapter: "[I hate you I love you,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8yPsMyxdCc)" by Gnash ft. Olivia O'brien. Cover by Conor Maynard and Samantha Harvey 
> 
> I'm also just sorry for this chapter... when people were happy that they met I felt so sad (@ﾟﾍﾟ@)


	7. A Gentleman Doesn't Kiss and Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Midorima Shintarou.”  
> The man looked up.  
> “Takao.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> August 2016 – Aomine has just lost to Rakuzan and Takao is on his way back from his business trip.

The place was quite posh considering that they had a gay sex section. But after all, it was Tokyo. He was humming lightly to himself as he stepped into the aisle. He stopped in his tracks, there was the most unlikely character standing around and perusing: Midorima Shintarou. Who had crushed him in basketball at the Winter Cup of his final year at Touou. Oh dear.

“Midorima Shintarou.”

The man looked up.

“Takao.”

“You remember me?” he honestly hadn’t been expecting it.

Midorima’s eyes cut to the bookshelf and then back to Takao.

“I think most people who played you in basketball would remember you.”

“Right, the gay thing.” Or course. He walked into the aisle. “Which one are you looking at?”

Midorima looked up in surprise, his green hair stuck to his forehead. He didn’t move. Takao inched a little closer so that he could see the cover.

“Nah that one’s rubbish. If you’re a beginner I’d suggest this one,” he said as he took down the one that he was going to buy for Aomine. “If you want one that’s more medically accurate I’d suggest this one.”

Midorima just blinked at him. Takao felt his smile falter a little.

But then the man nodded.

“Actually I’m looking for something a little more advanced,” he said as he held out a piece of paper to Takao.

Training on Top by Hasegawa Haruta

Takao had heard of this book. It was basically an exercise manual so that you could have marathon sex. His eyes flicked up to Midorima’s before he turned his attention to the shelves to help look.

“Ah here,” said Takao as he pulled it down.

“Thank you,” Midorima said.

“Do you need one for your partner too?”

“What?”

“Do you need a second copy?”

“No,” Midorima said, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

Oh wow.

Takao smiled easily before picking up the beginners book.

“For your partner?”

Takao laughed. “You knew that it couldn’t be for me,” he said as he smiled at Midorima.

Midorima looked taken aback, but Takao just continued.

“It’s for a newbie that I know. Wanna make sure that he’s being safe,” and then more to himself, “although I think that I’m probably already too late….”

He smiled up at Midorima. “Besides I don’t have a partner right now anyway.”

Midorima nodded and they headed towards the cash register.

The cashier looked at the book and then up at Midorima before quickly checking him out. And then when Takao paid for his copy that guy’s mouth hung open. Takao grinned. Oh the poor lamb thinks that Shin-chan is going to do dirty dirty things to me.

Ah well, if only.

Midorima had waited for him and so Takao hurried over after paying. A year ago he might’ve jumped Midorima’s bones, but he wasn’t getting any younger and he wanted to find a permanent partner. He didn’t like the biannual rotation.

“Well I’m headed this way,” Takao said as they got up to street level.

“Wait, can I have your number? I might have questions, and who would know better than you?”

That was true.

“Sure,” Takao said as he took Midorima’s phone to type it in. “Have you ever been to Kei’s in nichome?”

“Kei’s?”

“It’s a bar. I go most Friday’s it’s a good crowd, not skeezy. If you’re in the area you should stop by.”

Midorima nodded as Takao handed him his phone back.

“Well see you around Shin-chan,” Takao said winking. Midorima gaped.

***

Takao hurried back. Even if Aomine had already taken his first foray into gay sex, Takao could still give him the book. It might be helpful for round two or 200. It was hard to tell with Aomine.

He opened the door to find Aomine standing in his boxers by the table.

“Daiki!” but something was wrong. Why was there a cat? Aomine hated animals. And then Aomine was shaking, the cat leapt, and he bolted over to catch him before he fell. Aomine shoved two bright yellow pieces of paper into his hands. He skimmed them.

What? What? How could this have happened? He knew that Aomine liked this guy, I mean Aomine wasn’t really discreet. But Takao hadn’t thought that he could’ve fallen so deep so fast when he was so oblivious. God no that must make it worse.

Aomine was gigantic so it was no mean feat, but he finally dragged him to the couch. And the silent tear tracks broke Takao’s heart.

I’m so sorry he thought. He remembered his own first love. The captain of the soccer team. Total ass. Called Takao a homo when he found out.

Why didn’t good people get happy stories? Aomine was such a good kid. He was honest and didn’t take shit from anyone. And after his parents… well this just. Takao knew that it wouldn’t be easy, he just hoped that Aomine got stronger as opposed to breaking.

Takao would do anything to help him with that.

Aomine finally passed out. Probably from the stress of the last 24 hours. Takao tucked a blanket around him and went to the kitchen. He re-read the letter. There was something weird about it.

_Christian Dior… Reo… Nouveau… K._

Kise Ryouta. He looked over at the couch. Well he couldn’t blame Aomine. If there was anyone who could draw a strong young man out of his mundane existence it would be someone dynamic like Kise Ryouta. Damn he hadn’t even had a chance against that lion had he?

Takao went through his magazines and put all of the Kise ones into a box. Then he grabbed his three movies out of the TV drawer. It was too bad they really were excellent movies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be adding in snippets from Takao. I also may have some other POV's too. But it will all be to facilitate the AoKi journey.


	8. You've Got Radio Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You just seem uh fresh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so hard to write （~～~）  
> Much plot so onewholeyear

His bed smelled like K.

K who didn’t call back. And he didn’t text. He must have really changed his number.

Every morning when he woke up it felt like it had all just been a bad dream. And then after a few weeks it was every few days that it felt that way.

He had let himself read the letter one more time, slowly, and stopping to think about each and every sentence. And then he wrapped it in tissue paper, bought a wooden box at the creepy antique store down the road, which he’d never stepped foot in before, and carefully placed it at the back of his closet.

Aomine had lost the inter-high, and K was gone. He wanted to bury it all with the box. But he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t have this happen again. Something had to change.

***

At first Momoi thought that it was because they’d lost inter-high. And Aomine could’ve let her keep thinking that. But he didn’t want to. He should’ve told her everything right from the start. Maybe then he would’ve understood what was happening. So here he was on his couch with Satsu, Momoi and Takao.

He explained about the texts, and the rules, and the feelings that he hadn’t understood. About the phone calls, about how he was bi, and about the game and the letter.

Momoi wasn’t angry, but she did cry for him. And that was just the nail in the coffin. Seeing her and Takao’s expressions of sadness made him realize exactly how bad the situation was.

And he vowed right then and there that secrets weren’t going to be a part of his life. Not from Takao and Momoi who had stuck by him.

***

Takao hadn’t said anything, but Kise’s movies went mysteriously missing. And Aomine never saw another magazine in the house with his face on it.

Satsu became the only reminder and Aomine thought that that cat was weirdly like a love child that had never gotten a chance to run free.

***

They won the Winter Cup, but Akashi hadn’t showed so Aomine felt slightly disconcerted about the whole affair.

And after that senior year was almost over, and he had to choose a school. He’d been scouted by several schools in Japan. But he’d also gotten into a school in America with an excellent reputation for basketball and the prospect of going into the NBA if he did well.

He needed to decide, but how could he?

He was so stuck, he’d never been stuck before. Leaving Momoi and Takao just didn’t seem right. But then again leaving all this shit behind did sound like a good idea. He wanted to be somewhere where K’s face wouldn’t pop out at him from newsstands, or posters. And the idea of an escape to America sounded good. And what if this was his best chance to play basketball? But did he even want the NBA?

It wasn’t his home.

***

“Man you should’ve hung out with us sooner,” Sakano said.

“What d’you mean?”

“No just, I mean yeah you came out with us, but you never really talked you know? But you’re so chill Daiki.”

It was true that Aomine had started paying more attention to the people around him. He’d been on the team with Sakano for three years and never even asked about his family, or interests or anything. Now it was the end of the year, but he knew that things had changed for him.

K had made sure of that. He couldn’t just not pay attention anymore.

***

It was a week before graduation and Aomine was out of time.

Takao was sitting across the table from him waiting for his answer.

“I’ve decided to stay.”

Takao let out a breath.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Yeah.”

And after saying it he knew that it was the right choice.

“Can I- Can I still live with you?”

Takao laughed.

“Yes Daiki, this is your home, you’re always welcome.”

Aomine had the weirdest sensation behind his eyes. He didn’t know-

But his vision was misting up and then he felt Takao’s arms around him.

He didn’t need to worry about his parents or K so much. Because he had a family. And he was all that Takao had too.

He had never said anything before. It had never felt right and besides, he wasn’t really into talking about feelings. But now he knew how important it was to not let things go unsaid.

“Takao, you’re the only family that I have.”

Takao was looking at him like… like a father would.

“I love you Daiki. You’re more than family. You know that.”

Yeah, because Takao was like a friend and a father and an older brother all wrapped into one.

They didn’t say anything about it after that. Just ordered their pizza and got the movies going, Satsu curling up between them and purring contendedly.

Aomine finally felt like something had been released. Like maybe he’d be able to keep breathing.

It had been seven months after all.

***

Momoi had picked a school in Kyoto.

“So you’re not going into business?”

“Nope, sports medicine.”

“Typical,” Aomine said shaking his head. Fucking smart people.

“Also I broke up with Kimura.”

“What? Why? What did he do?” Aomine raged.

“Nothing, but we’re going to be really far away from each other. And, well,” she was looking down. “I realized that I didn’t want to split my time between my family, and him and you. And it was just- I like him I do, but we were just kind of comfortable with each other at the end. We didn’t- there was no- you know spark.”

A pair of yellow eyes flashed through Aomine’s imagination.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“Dai-chan….”

“Satsuki it’s ok. I wish you were staying in Tokyo though.”

“Yeah, but it’s not too far. Not to see you and my family.”

“You’re right. I guess we’ll both be pretty busy though huh.”

“Yeah.”

***

Aomine’s new school was close enough that he could bike. He was so pleased to finally be done with high school. Fuck Haizaki. On the night of graduation he had snuck into the science lab, and booby-trapped it so that when Haizaki opened the door glitter would poof all over him and the rest of the room.

It served him right for always giving Aomine detention just because he didn’t know how to be gay properly. Asshole.

And then he and Momoi had gone to their grad party. There’d been booze and tomfoolery and Aomine thought that these types of parties must’ve happened before graduation too.

He hadn’t really drank before, hell what had he done? What had he been doing?

“Dai-chan?”

“Huh?”

“Daigo wants you as his partner for beer pong.”

“What?”

“It’s ‘sports’ and drinking. Come on.”

So he played beer pong. He won and Daigo smack talked and it was just so not normal for him to actually be at the center of large groups like this, just doing what other teens did.

But at the end of it all he didn’t pass out on the couch. Last train had come and gone so he walked Momoi home. Neither of them had gotten that drunk.

“Dai-chan will you be ok? My parents wouldn’t mind if you used the guest room.”

“Nah it’s fine, I want to walk it off anyway, night Satsuki.”

She waved sleepily and he waited until the door closed behind her.

It was almost 10 kilometers back.

And he was going to think.

He was going to force himself to think.

About how things had gone so wrong. About whether he would’ve chosen to wait if he’d been given the opportunity to choose. About why he didn’t hate K, even though he thought that maybe he should.

***

He got back at 5 in the morning. He showered and grabbed coffee. He had two weeks before school started in April.

K had been out of his life for nine months. And at the end of the day Aomine was still Aomine. And that meant that he didn’t stew. He knew three things to be true.

  * He’d and K had both liked each other.
  * K hadn’t given him a say in whether he chose to wait or not. And that, above anything else, was what he found problematic.
  * He wasn’t going to wait, but he was going to hope that K would come back to him, and when he did Aomine wanted to have a life that he was proud of, whether K became a part of that life or not.



He was too young to be stuck on his first whatever, he knew that. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t hope. He still…. Fuck he still liked him. But if something else happened then that’s how it would be. Worrying had never been in his DNA so he wasn’t going to start now.

***

Who the fuck created 8:00AM classes. What a load of shit. He was sitting there, mouth hanging open and staring at the front of the class waiting for the professor.

Momoi had bought him all these notebooks and pens and sticky notes and random shit so he was all decked out. But shit even the fucking gel pens couldn’t make 8:00AM’s better.

He should’ve gotten coffee.

“Is it ok if I sit here?”

Aomine looked up blearily.

There was a tall guy with sandy blonde hair, broad shoulders, and a country bumpkin look about him.

“Please,” Aomine said gesturing to the seat.

The guy smiled as he sat down.

Now this is the point where Aomine would usually turn back to his blank staring. But he had rules now too – eh, guidelines.

“I’m Aomine Daiki.”

“Oh, Tachibana Makoto,” the boy said.

“You’re not from Tokyo.”

“Haha do I stand out?” he was smiling as he said it.

Shit that was probably rude.

“You just seem uh fresh,” Aomine said as he opened his notebook.

“Yeah I’m from a small town, so this is a first for me.”

Aomine nodded. He wasn’t really sure how to keep talking. But then the professor came. Thank you gods of silence.

He was stifling yawns by the end of class.

“Did you skip your morning tea?” Tachibana asked.

“Coffee and yeah, like a total ass.”

Makoto stared at him before making an awkward smile.

“Uh, do you not like cursing?” Aomine said uncomfortably.

“No no it’s ok. I saw a coffee stand outside, want to grab some?”

“Yeah, I probably should.”

Tachibana had gotten a green tea, and Aomine had gotten coffee and was now dumping sugar and milk into it.

“What other classes do you have?” Aomine said as he hauled out his schedule.

They compared. They had another class together in the afternoon.

“What’s your major?” Aomine asked as he eyed Tachibana’s schedule.

“Sports journalism.”

Aomine tried to imagine Mr. Angel Face pestering people with questions. Huh.

“What about you Aomine-kun?”

“Ah I’m trying to go pro for basketball.”

“Oh wow.”

Aomine shrugged.

***

Aomine had spent most of his other classes just trying to focus. This college business was serious. And he needed to keep his grades up for sports. And because he was trying to actually care about school for once.

He’d talked to one other boy in one of his classes, but the guy just didn’t seem to give a shit about anything, so Aomine just dropped that. And then he met a girl who was all together too interested in looking at Aomine during class. Fuck no. And then there’d been a girl who just sat there with her phone under the desk looking at photos of dogs during class. I mean he got it, she liked dogs, but do that shit at home. Fucking distracting is what that is.

“Daiki, how was class?”

“Takao why didn’t you tell me that college was hard?”

Takao grinned at him.

“It’s my job to let you figure these things out on your own.”

Aomine flopped on the couch.

“How was practice?”

“Good. I’m sore.”

“Excellent.”

Aomine chose to ignore Takao’s glee at his pain. He needed food and then to do, he eyed his bag, the dreaded homework.

***

Tachibana Makoto was always pleasantly happy. He was also the sort that got on the wrong train, stopped to pick up stray cats, and naturally made friends.

In short he was nothing like Aomine. But somehow they were friends. At least he thought they must be.

“Hey a girl in my Journalism class is having a party on Friday. You want to come?”

“Yeah sure,” Aomine said. “I have practice but I can meet up with you after?”

“Ok,” Tachibana said as he hauled his bag up. “Some of my friends from high school are coming too.”

“Oh, ok, uh cool,” Aomine said. He was still working on the whole not being surly thing. “Do they uh go here too?”

“Nope. My best friend Haru is at school for swimming in Tokyo though. He’s trying to go to the Olympics with our other friend Rin,” Tachibana said fondly.

Aomine focused on his face, there was a look there. Fond but also… hurt? Had he wanted to go with them too?

“Tachibana.”

He startled. “Yeah?”

“Did you… I mean did you want to do swimming?”

“Oh, well no. I mean I was never on their level? Just… I guess I miss them.”

But he looked sad. It was more than that. Aomine filed that under Feelings – Friend: Tachibana. He’d ask Momoi what she thought later. He had her brain to help compensate for his own.

***

He called Momoi on Friday after practice.

“Momoi there’s something I wanted to ask you about.”

“Hmm?”

He told her about his exchange with Tachibana.

“Maybe he’s homesick.”

“Homesick?”

“I mean he’s not from Tokyo right? Maybe he wishes that one of his friends had come to school with him.”

“Huh.”

***

He asked Takao when he stopped by to change.

“Maybe he’s gay.”

“Do you know how many people are gay? Why do you always assume that everyone’s gay?”

“Not everyone Daiki, just the people that you talk to, with the exception of Momoi.”

“What so he wants to bang his friends.”

“Or they’re dating and he’s jealous.”

“Or, like Satsuki said, he’s homesick,” Aomine said stubbornly.

“Porque no los dos?”

“What?”

“Why not both.”

“Fine, I’ll consider it.”

Takao frowned slightly.

“What?”

“Just,” he ran a hand through his hair, “you know that it’s ok if you don’t understand everything about everyone right?”

He huffed. “Yeah I know, just… I don’t want to miss something important.”

Takao came over and clapped him on his bicep. “You’re an exceptional young man Daiki don’t let one moment define your life.”

Aomine wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.

“Just, it’s ok to not know sometimes,” Takao said before going to his room.

Aomine let out a breath. And K’s face flashed through his mind. He needed to get going.

***

This was a hipster house party…. Jocks be damned. He’d never seen so many black rimmed specs in one room before.

“Haru-chan!” Tachibana called.

Aomine flinched. Who was he chan-ing?

There in the corner was a sullen faced guy with raven hair and a red head.

“Come on Aomine,” Makoto said happily.

So here he was meeting Haru and Rin. Rin who was definitely touching Haru casually on the shoulder, back…. Fuck, Takao might’ve been right. Aomine grit his teeth. He hated when Takao was right.

“Are you ok?” Tachibana said.

“Huh? Yeah I just realized something.”

Rin looked over worriedly before glancing at Haru. Oh shit did he think that Aomine wasn’t ok with it? Fuck damage control.

“Just my uncle said something earlier, I don’t know I finally figured out what he meant and it pissed me off,” he said as he scratched his neck.

“Oh,” said Rin looking relieved.

Aomine tried really hard to just be normal, he treated them the way that he’d treated Kimura at the aquarium and it seemed like everyone was ok.

“Aomine I’m going to get something to drink, do you want anything?”

“Oh yeah sure.”

“Beer, cocktail?”

“Whatever you get is fine.”

“Great,” Tachibana said as he left.

Aomine turned back to the two guys. The black haired guy didn’t talk much, but the red head had that calculating look that Momoi sometimes got. Aomine cut to the chase.

“So how long have you been together?”

Rin’s eyes widened. “Tachibana told you?”

“Nah I could tell.”

“If you have a problem with it you don’t have to talk to us,” Haru said.

What?

“Uh, no I have um, experiential understanding,” Aomine said feeling uncomfortable and wondering if he’d fucked up.

“Oh,” said Rin. “Oh, just we thought maybe… and earlier.”

“No, sorry I’m just not great with uh social interactions,” he admitted.

“No it’s fine,” Rin said happily. He leaned closer to Haru. Haru who didn’t look thrilled by this.

Aomine grinned.

“Are you seeing anyone right now?”

“Uh.” Fuck. “No,” he said as he looked off to the side, wondering why he felt bitter.

“Oh, sorry. Bad breakup?” Rin said looking on the verge of tears. Wow empathy level maxed.

“Not really. I guess I’m just not really looking.”

Because I like a fucking model who lives across the world from me. And whose cat I now take care of. He was pretty sure that this is what people called being whipped.

“Back!” Tachibana said happily. He held out a shot to Aomine.

“So no to the beer then?”

“Beer is for wimps,” Rin said.

“You’re not drinking though?”

“We can’t,” Haru said.

Aomine couldn’t tell if he was upset about this or not.

“Yes it would ruin Haru-chan’s relationship with the water,” Tachibana said.

Well that sounded weird.

“Anyways, cheers,” Tachibana said.

***

About halfway through the night someone dragged Tachibana to the corner and brought out an acoustic guitar.

“He can play?” Aomine asked.

“He can sing too,” said Rin.

Tachibana seemed embarrassed but he finally started strumming. Damn yeah he could sing. That song though… it sounded like he had a K too. That or he was just really good at putting emotion into the lyrics.

“Aomine, you’re pretty good friends with Makoto right?” Rin asked.

Haru gave him a mildly interested look.

“Uh, I think so.” I don’t have a lot of friends so who knows what ‘pretty good friends’ even looks like.

“He’s not seeing anyone?” Rin said. Haru gave him an angry look.

Aomine had no idea what was happening.

“Uh I don’t think so.”

“See Haru this is why we need to get him together with Sousuke. And then we can go on double dates.”

“I don’t like him,” Haru said.

Aomine just decided to faze that out and listen to Tachibana.

***

After four months of college Aomine was finally getting into a routine. He’d go to his classes, study, go to practice, and play basketball games on the weekend. He also hung out with Tachibana. Sometimes he’d go to other house parties with him too and he learned that Tachibana could really sing. After Tachibana had met Takao and Momoi Aomine had told him about K. Not who he was or the weird texting part of the story. But the basic gist. Tachibana was enamored with Satsu and would croon at her about how she must miss K.

It was weird how much Tachibana liked cats. It was even weirder how much they liked him.

***

Aomine had also been invited to a few parties with the team so he’d met some other people through those events as well.

He felt good. Like solid. He didn’t feel sad or pine. And yet he still wished that K were there. That when he was alone in his room at night he didn’t have to close his eyes to see him.

***

“Tachibana is there something going on with you and Rin and Haru?”

“What?”

“I don’t know just a few months ago you were singing that song about leaving on a ship? And Rin seemed kind of worried.”

“What?” but then he seemed to remember and he looked worried too. “Oh,” he sighed. “Rin thinks that I like Haru.”

“Do you?”

“No. But I think I did before. I mean I didn’t really know until after. But I think it was more like child love you know? Like puppy love. But then he and Rin started dating in high school.”

Uh so like he’d liked him when they were kids?

“I’ve moved on though. Actually I wrote that song when I was scared to leave my friends behind and go to college.”

“Fuck you wrote that?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Thanks,” Tachibana said. “Anyways, I’m single and just you know waiting I guess.”

Aomine nodded.

“What’s K like?”

Aomine’s breath hitched. He looked over to where Tachibana was smiling quietly at him.

“He’s kind of weird.”

Tachibana laughed.

“No like he drinks black coffee, and then he picked up that fucking ugly ass cat. He gets up at the crack of dawn – totally ridiculous. And he decided to work and go to school at the same time. Who even does that? Fucking overachiever.” He shook his head remembering all the little things that made K, K.

“But he also would message me in the mornings, talk to me late at night… and talking to him was just always so easy you know? About stupid shit like sports or movies or food. And then when I’d have a bad day he’d ask the right questions, get angry for me, get sad. And his eyes.” Aomine blushed. “Well anyways he’s just one of a kind. But well, he left.”

Tachibana was nodding.

"He didn't want me to have to wait for him so...."

“It sounds like that would be a good start to a love song.”

Aomine frowned, he couldn’t make music for shit. Wait, love song? “Well if you wrote it then maybe.”

Tachibana nodded. “I can do it. Just make sure that you get him back so that he can hear it.”

***

K still hadn’t called.

And a year had already come and gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aomine's Not-Breakup Breakup Playlist:  
> "[Stay With Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-5XG-DbAA) by Sam Smith  
> "[Crave You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeaIvjoH1FY)" by Flight Facilities (Adventure club dubstep remix)  
> "[Addicted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt1a6_-9s2s)" by Morgan Page  
> "[Faded](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ItHLz5WEA)" by Alan Walker  
> "[Lean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAadz5_0Zg8)" by the National  
> "[Dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Zu7qJqDXQ)" - Fleetwood Mac. Cover by Gabrielle Aplin and Bastille


	9. You've Got a Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn Swedes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kise's side :)  
> I think there might be a wee bit of time before my next update - I'm not quite sure how fast I want the next bit to go so I need to take ma sweet time and make sure that I do it right :)  
> Thanks for reading so far.

His driver had come to pick him up at 6:00 in the morning. Kise carefully extricated him from Aomine’s arms. He stared down biting his lip, willing himself not to cry. His hand was shaking as he took his phone and snapped a picture. He knew that he’d forget his face if he didn’t. And he didn’t want to not after he’d finally met him in person. He was so handsome and so much better than Kise. He pulled on his pants and grabbed his shirt as he slipped into the living room. His agent Kasamatsu came up with Satsu. Kise carefully took her out of the cage in the hallway.

“I’ll be right back,” he said as Kasamatsu stared at him. He could tell that he wanted to say something, but Kise just shook his head and grabbed the cat bag. He slipped back into the apartment.

“This is your new home ok? Give him lots of cuddles for me.” He hugged her before carefully putting her down. He took out the letter and placed it on the table.

“Goodbye Aominecchi.”

***

Kasamatsu didn’t say anything on the way to the airport, but Kise could tell by his clenched jaw that he was holding back. Kise was just thankful that Kasamatsu was going with him to France.

They got through security. He didn’t cry. They got to the lounge. And still he kept it in. There were some fans at the gate, he smiled, but he couldn’t make it reach his eyes, not today.

They were on the plane and still he didn’t cry. Kasamatsu still didn’t say anything, and Kise just tried to sleep.

But when he finally dozed off his dreams were more like nightmares. Blue eyes, blue hair and a life that wasn’t connected to his anymore.

***

Kise and Kasamatsu were sharing an apartment in Paris. Kasamatsu had seen him through the Sho drama, and he’d always stuck by him. He was Kise’s best friend. He was also maybe his only friend that was gay but he hadn’t slept with. There hadn’t been a lot, but he’d never had to look far for a partner.

Kise had a lot of “friends,” but not a lot of people who he could confide in.

They were jet lagged and just getting into the apartment. Kise still hadn’t cried and he wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

The house was already stocked with food and they grabbed dinner. Kise ate salad. Kasamatsu had sausage and cheese on crackers.

Kasamatsu had stopped giving Kise “the look.” But Kise still felt it behind his eyes.

“You think I should’ve asked him to wait.”

Kasamatsu didn’t say anything for a moment.

“You’re breaking both of your hearts.”

Kise bolted up. He was exhausted and angry, and hurting and so sad.

“I would’ve broken it anyway,” he said as he shook with rage or exhaustion or both. “At least this way it’s not slow, he’d never recover if I made him wait, slowly leaving him alone while I chased my job all over the world, making him sit there and think about me and wait for me to text back. Making promises to me that he wouldn’t know the gravity of. He doesn’t have supportive parents like I do, he shouldn’t have to wait for anyone else.”

“He should’ve been able to choose for himself.”

“No, you’re wrong, I can’t listen to this,” he bit out. He wanted to hit something.

He ran up the spiral stairs to the loft room that they’d set up for him.

***

He woke up to a damp pillow, his eyes puffy from crying.

He hauled out his phone and flicked to the photo.

“Aominecchi….”

***

After that night he promised that he’d never cry about it again.

“You don’t get to feel bad,” he told himself sternly in the mirror. He caked on his makeup to hide the circles under his eyes.

Aomine was the one who got to cry. Cry and move on and find someone much better than Kise.

***

“Kise I think we need to retake some of the shots, the lighting’s just not right.”

“Sure that’s fine.”

“Sorry to keep you so late.”

“No it’s great,” he said smiling. The more work the better in his book. It kept him from thinking about things that would never change.

There was another model that he worked with that was just his type. Tall and rugged and generally all the things that Kise would go for. His name was Sven and he looked like his hobbies included hauling logs up mountains and stealing the hearts of young maidens without meaning to. And he was painfully gay. But when Kise looked at him all he could see were the things that he wasn’t. He wasn’t blue eyed and blue haired and tan skinned. And that meant that he wasn’t someone that Kise imagined waking up next to or saying goodnight to. No that spot had been reserved. Irrevocably stolen just like his heart.

***

He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to forget, and so he kept it all hidden in his heart and he went through the motions. He went to work and he went out on weekends.

***

France was everything that he’d hoped it would be, the food, the fashion, the coffee and he drowned himself in these things. He signed up for a French class, and his French was improving so rapidly that he was almost fluent after only a few months. He also had to meet with a tutor to finish up his high school work.

But he was still restless.

He liked working for Dior because their male models tended to be a little bulkier, which meant that he got to workout more. And that meant that he not only got to eat more, but he was also exhausted enough to pass out in his bed every night. He’d gained a lot of muscle. Although his personal trainer Pierre, was a demon. Sven just laughed every time he saw Kise after a session. He’d clap Kise on the back and Kise would keel forward with how strong he was. Damn Swedes.

***

“Kise, Sven, we want to switch the set ok?”

“Yes,” Kise said as he moved out of the blinding lights.

Sven was grabbing his water bottle and talking to the cameraman Harry. They had become involved after only a few months. Which meant that he didn’t have to shut down any advances.

“Kise how are you doing?”

“Fine Kasamatsucchi, thanks,” he said as he took his own water.

“Hey Ryouta, Yukio. Harry and I are going to a bar after. Want to come?” Sven said.

“Yes! Kasamatsucchi?”

“I can’t I’m going to Skype Teppei.”

Kise smiled. They’d been together for three years.

“Say hi for me ok?”

“I always do.”

“Who’s Teppei?” Sven said as he slapped an arm around Kasamatsu’s shoulders.

Kise stifled a laugh at how red Kasamatsu got. Even after living in France for five months he couldn’t handle the physical closeness of foreigners – or their invasive questions. Not that Sven meant to be nosy, he was genuinely interested.

“He’s Kasamatsucchi’s partner.”

“Oh shit that’s wild! You sly minx,” Sven said as he shook Kasamatsu like a ragdoll.

Oh dear there he goes.

“Sven get off you gigantic goat herder!” Kasamatsu yelled, he kicked him away and Sven just laughed as he ran over to Harry.

“Harry the little guy is wounding me.”

“I’m not little! You’re just all too tall,” Kasamatsu seethed.

“Ok we’re can you got

He nodded. He was going to send him a letter.

“Alright we’re ready for you now,” Harry called. They got back onto the set.

***

The bar was near Sven’s apartment off of the Seine. Kise could walk to his flat from there.

He knew as soon as he entered that it catered to gay men.

It was dark and quiet and it smelled as expensive as it looked.

“What’s your name?”

“Kise,” he said smiling at a thin man with bright blue eyes. If he squinted and didn’t look at the rest of his features he almost looked like Aomine. Except that he didn’t at all. Fuck stop thinking about him.

“Well Kise, can I buy you a drink?”

“Hmm. I’m not sure,” he said as he lookd at the menu. “It depends what drink you buy me.”

Kise had done this script a thousand ways. This flirting that led to sex.

The guy looked at him with a question in his eyes. But Kise knew the dialogue to this film even if his partner didn’t. No matter what Kise would guess slightly wrong on purpose. “You look like a guy who’d go for red wine,” he said. “Am I right?”

“I like white actually,” he said as he motioned for the bartender.

Interesting. Sometimes they’d say what they actually thought, but sometimes they’d just agree with whatever Kise said. In cases like this he took it to mean that he wouldn’t be topping later on. But if they agreed to the drink he guessed then usually they wanted to be pushed around a little.

 

They got their drinks and Kise nodded to Sven and Harry before following the young man into a corner.

“So what’s your name?” Kise said coyly.

“Axel.”

“Axel,” Kise said slowly as he peered at the man over the rim of his wine glass. He took a small sip letting his eyes go half lidded as he made a small pleased sound that wasn’t entirely appropriate for dining table.

They were off to Axel’s apartment in less than ten. He’d been right, of course, and Axel had maneuvered him against the wall in no time. After round one came round two.

Then they ate some cheese, Kise did not eat the proffered crackers, and then they drank another glass of wine.

And then round three happened in the shower.

***

When he woke up he grabbed his boxers and checked himself in the bathroom mirror. He’d asked Axel not to mark him, and he was pleased to see that he had kept to that promise. Well that was something.

“Kise?”

Kise slowly came out of the bathroom and leaned against the door crossing his arms, a challenge in his eyes.

Axel was back on him. He was sprawled out on the bed again, Axel moving inside him and then his brain betrayed him. He’d closed his eyes for only a second, and there was Aomine crouching above him. His brows furrowed in concentration. Asking Kise if it was ok.

Kise came.

“Shit,” Axel yelled as he came too.

Kise was so glad that it was the morning, because he could book it home and hate himself in peace. Axel didn’t ask for his number, and that was just fine, because Kise wouldn’t have given it to him anyway.

***

He went home and as he passed through the kitchen he saw Kasamatsu eyeing him the way he always did when Kise came back from a night out – like he was trying not to let it show that he was disappointed.

Kise hurried to his room and locked the door. He felt dirty as he stripped out of his clothes, intent on showering again. How could he have besmirched Aomine’s memory by thinking about him while he was doing it with some sexy Frenchman?

He leaned against the shower wall wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

***

He went out the next weekend to another bar with Sven and Harry and what Kise realized as he looked around at all the hotties was that what he really wanted was to be curled upon a couch with a boy who clearly didn’t know anything about sex, but who inexplicably knew everything about how to make someone fall in love.

He told Sven that he wanted to head back after all and Sven waved him off airily.

***

He walked home along the water, the river snaking it’s way towards his flat. It really was beautiful. He was in the city of romance, of love and mystery. He leaned over to look at the water and pulled out his phone. He knew that staring at the picture wouldn’t help, but at least he could pretend, just for a minute that he wasn’t alone here.

***

He didn’t try and hook up with anyone after that. He was too worried that he’d think of Aomine again.

There were two good things that came about following this change. The first was that he wasn’t drinking as much and so his workout sessions were becoming steadily easier. The second was that Kasamatsu only gave him “the look” on special occasions, as opposed to every Saturday morning.

But now he was always horny and although he was opposed to thinking of Aomine while having sex with someone else, he was not opposed to thinking of Aomine while fucking himself.

And yet he still felt a twinge of guilt every time he imagined Aomine’s eyes hooded in lust.

***

When May came Kise had finally come to a decision about the battle that had been waging inside of him. It had started off as just a small thought, like a tiny light blinking in the distance. But then it just kept creeping into his mind until he had no choice but to act on it.

He looked up Aomine’s name on google. And he found his new team. And then he went to the school website and found their basketball schedule.

***

Kise was watching Aomine’s team play their fifth game of the season. It was mid June and as a first year he was already being put in the games.

“No, shit. You can’t do that!” He was yelling at his laptop, biting his lip as that fucker Tanaka stole the ball and made a shot.

The door burst open.

Kasamatsu just stared.

The game blared. And Kise just said “uh…..”

“Are you watching basketball in bed….”

“If I lie will you believe me?”

“If I guess that lover boy’s playing will you tell me the truth?”

Kise glanced down to where Aomine had just stolen the ball. He couldn’t help but worry his lip as Aomine raced towards the basket.

“I’m asking about this after the game’s over,” Kasamatsu said looking murderous before slamming the door.

Kise sighed. Shit. He’d just use this as fuel to make Kise change his mind. But he couldn’t. Kasamatsu hadn’t said anything about it, but Kise could tell that he hadn’t let it go.

Aomine won and Kise was cheering in his room, before remembering his impending doom.

He went down to the kitchen. He was still sore from his session with the demon Pierre that morning.

Kasamatsu was sitting at the dining room table with a notebook open.

He had made a list… yikes.

“Ok,” Kise said as he sat down.

Kasamatsu stared at him. Then he looked down at his list, huffed out a breath and then looked to the side.

“Kise, you’re not going to want to hear this, but I’ve stuck with you through it all so please for the love of god just focus, don’t interrupt, and hear me out.”

He didn’t want to do that, but he couldn’t say no after that kind of argument. Not after everything that Kasamatsu had done for him. He nodded curtly.

Kasamatsu eyed him slowly before turning to face him

“I couldn’t believe how well you handled things after Sho. You were still young, but you weren’t a pushover, you didn’t freak out, you didn’t become a recluse, and that is truly remarkable. But you started messing around with those,” he looked up to the sky as if praying for strength, “assholes.”

Kasamatsu seemed so pissed. But he continued after collecting himself.

“You were never mean enough to run around with those hosers. But there you were acting tough and like all you cared about was work and sex. But Kise you’re only 18. You shouldn’t just care about those things. And when you started talking to this Aomine, it was like you were back to who you were before Sho. More mature, yes, but also excited like when I first met you. And from what you’ve told me you were so focused on getting to know him that you actually wanted to talk to him not just screw him.”

Of course he didn’t want to just screw him, he thought. Kise realized a second too late that he must’ve looked pissed because Kasamatsu was giving him a satisfied smirk.

“And that’s how relationships should be. I mean don’t get me wrong sex is awesome, which I shouldn’t be telling you because you’re only 18.”

Kise rolled his eyes.

“Kasamatsucchi we both know that I-”

“I beg you please don’t finish that sentence. AS I WAS SAYING. You reverted to your puppy form, which is much cuter than your I-screw-asshats-form. Ok all of that and now I will say that I understand your reasoning. That I understand why you left the way you did. You know how much time and energy goes into your job, and you know that you wouldn’t be able to message him everyday, maybe you’d only be able to talk on weekends. And yeah all the magazines and books say that you shouldn’t stay with your high school boyfriend when you go to college, and that doesn’t even include the distance factor or the fact that you hadn’t actually started dating yet. So yes I get it.”

Kise felt relieved to hear someone else say it. To hear his logic presented so clearly.

But then Kasamatsu was looking murderous again.

“But, you chose wrong. That logic, does not apply to you. The simplest way to say this is that: you are not normal. And Aomine sounds like a totally different breed of animal. So why the hell would you assume that the relationship rules for the general populace would apply to you two? That’s just ridiculous. And furthermore, I have pulled in an expert, someone on the other side to prove that I am right.”

Kise’s eyes widened as Kasamatsu turned his phone over. Kiyoshi was staring up happily. Video chat….

“Kiyoshi….”

“Kise,” he said waving happily.

“You heard everything?”

“Ah well Yukio’s been giving me updates.”

Kise gave Kasamatsu an unimpressed look. Kasamatsu cleared his throat uncomfortably. Well at least he looked slightly ashamed.

“And what do you think?”

Kise said quietly. The truth was that Kiyoshi was the one who was staying home while Kasamatsu went off to live abroad.

“I think… that I’d be here waiting for him even if he was moving on.” Kiyoshi said quietly. Kise felt bad making Kiyoshi and Kasamatsu think about this.

“But actually we did discuss whether breaking up would be better,” Kiyoshi continued.

“You did?” Kise said staring at Kasamatsu wide-eyed.

“Yes, we had to talk about it. To make sure that we were on the same page.”

“How did you know that you shouldn’t?”

“Well,” Kiyoshi said “we didn’t not at first. We actually took a few weeks to each figure out what we wanted. And then we agreed to be honest and just tell each other.”

“And?” he didn’t know why but his pulse was quickening, as if he wanted to have been wrong about this whole thing.

“And neither of us wanted to break up. But I did say that I was worried. France is full of attractive guys. It definitely crossed my mind that Yukio might meet someone else. But at the end of the day I didn’t think that he’d choose someone else no matter how smokin’.”

Kise smiled. Kiyoshi really trusted Kasamatsu.

Kasamatsu was frowning. “They’re not even that good looking,” he muttered.

Kise couldn’t help but laugh. They were pretty good looking, what a blatant lie. Kiyoshi was laughing too.

“Regardless,” Kasamatsu cut it. “We both agreed that what we had was too important to not try.”

“And yeah I wish he could call more, but it’s only a year. And honestly having this with him is what I want. If we’d broken up I’d probably still be trying to move on. Or dating someone who wasn’t right for me, or who knows what else. I mean maybe I would be happy and ok, but… well I choose him so that’s all there is to it.”

Kise watched as Kasamatsu’s brow slowly unfurrowed. He was looking down at the screen pensively.

“Kiyoshi…” he said quietly.

Kiyoshi waved him off.

“Anyways it sucks not having sex. But that’s what skype is-”

“And I think we all understand the important part of this conversation,” Kasamatsu said loudly. Although it didn’t quite cut off the rest of Kiyoshi’s statement.

“Just saying. I miss making him cry,” Kiyoshi said laughing.

Kasamatsu was seething.

“Kasamatsucchi you cry in bed?”

“He’s a fucking tease,” Kasamatsu grit out, bright red. Although Kise couldn’t tell if he was angry or embarrassed.

“Send your guy sex toys, no one can say no to that,” Kiyoshi said.

“Don’t do that Kise, he’d probably pass out.”

“Hmmm I wonder if he’d even know what they were,” Kise mused.

“Anyways, Kise just, please call him or write him another letter. Make this right,” Kasamatsu said earnestly.

“You don't meet someone like Aomine every day. And it’s not just about the fact that he doesn't seem phased by your fame. From what you’ve told me he’s everything that you never knew you wanted or needed. I’ve seen you mess around with bad guys, they’re not who you should be with. You don’t get an Aomine every other year. You get just one. Possibly one in your life. If you want him then give him the chance to say yes. Because he might want to.”

Kise bit his lip, but he knew that they had convinced him. In a last ditch effort he said, “it’s been a year.”

“That’s true, but you haven’t moved on,” Kiyoshi said smiling sadly. “Maybe he hasn’t either.”

“And if he has?”

“Then you’ll have closure,” Kasamatsu said. “And I’ll never bother you again. Well, about this anyways.”

Kise was nodding.

“You might as well try,” Kiyoshi said smiling again.

He looked down at Kiyoshi who was looking up at him. He imagined Kasamatsu leaving Kiyoshi. Imagined how he’d stay at home and not want to be with anyone else.

That’s what Kise had done. To Aomine. Who he was crazy about.

“Ok. I’ll try, even if… even if he’s moved on I’ll try.”

“Yes,” Kasamatsu said looking relieved.

“Um… will you help me?” Kise said.

“Yes,” they both said.

***

Everything felt different after that conversation. Some things were actually different. For example Kise no longer hid in his room when he watched Aomine’s games, and he and Kasamatsu spent a lot of time trying to decide how overt Kise’s gesture needed to be.

***

It had almost been a year. And he’d had an amazing experience.

He’d gotten several other offers. He needed to say yes or no, but he didn’t know how to decide. And now he definitely didn’t know what to do. He’d spent most of his time in France shutting Aomine out with work, and meaningless sex, and telling himself that Aomine was probably happily dating someone else. Lord knew that he was amazing enough to have his pick.

But now he actually let himself think about what it would be like if he went back, and asked Aomine to choose him, instead of whatever he’d been doing.

Fuck he didn’t know how to do this and he felt so nervous, which only seemed to happen when it came to Aomine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kise's Not-Breakup Breakup Playlist:  
> "[She'll Never Be Like You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elh6Y4wK41Y)" by Crywolf  
> "[Reforget](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsqDPqII6-Q)" by Lauv  
> "[The Other](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLs7lHGU80k>)" by Lauv  
> "[Keep me in mind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHa3JTEJmOU)" by Cape Cub  
> "[A Team](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-G4rrRCsww)" by Ed Sheeran  
> "[All for Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGqKkcrUX7c)" by Madison Beer ft. Jack & Jack  
> "[Wait](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAwYodrBr2Q)" by M83  
> 


	10. You've Got Snailmail II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What do you think Satsu? Is your dad full of shit?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next installment.  
> Aomine is like all over the map in this chapter - so you know. Mentally prepare yourself for his wishy-washyness.  
> ***  
> Also I realized that I f***ed up ma hyperlinks so I'm going through and fixing them :)

He needed to move on. K had said he loved him, but that was a year ago. Aomine was in college now. He had actual friends other than Momoi. And they weren’t friends that she had helped him make.

“Takao, how do you ask a guy out?”

Takao looked up from his laptop where he’d been working. He was giving Aomine one of those calculating looks.

“Why?”

Aomine shrugged.

“Are you going to ask someone out on a date?”

“Thinking about it.” Well casually. Actually there hadn’t been a lot of thought. Just the idea and now the asking Takao for advice.

Takao narrowed his eyes.

“Who are you going to ask?”

“Tachibana.”

“Why?”

What? Why not? But apparently that wasn’t a rhetorical question.

“We get on well.”

“Ok….”

“And he’s nice right? He’s a good guy.” He considered for a moment. “Oh and he’s gay.”

Takao was nodding slowly.

“Anything else?”

What else was there?

“Just because by that definition I should be dating not only that one guy who works in human resources, but also the florist down on hachi-cho, as well as half the guys who I drink with at Kei’s.”

Aomine didn’t really know what Takao was getting at.

“Look Daiki, do you like him?”

Like him? He honestly didn’t know what that even looked like anymore. He thought he’d liked K. No he did, but K was gone. So he was supposed to be with someone else right?

“Well no I don’t.”

“And when you think about kissing him?”

That just didn’t even… just no. I mean Tachibana was probably a good kisser but… well he could get his rocks off by himself.

“It sounds kind of…” what was the word. “Oh, boring.”

Takao sighed.

“Daiki it sounds like you like Tachibana as just a friend.”

“Well I’ll ask someone else then.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because he fucking left me. And I have to move on. I can’t just wait for him to come back. He’s not coming back. Sure to Japan, maybe, but not to me. Hell he said he loved me. But he still left. My parents _love_ me and off they went. Kise loves me and he’s gone too. I’d rather be with someone who was just a good friend but fucking _stayed_. And I don’t want to feel like this anymore!”

He hadn’t realized that he’d stood up, or how loud he was getting.

But then Takao was blinking at him.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” he said running a hand over his face. He just didn’t want this shit anymore. Like, love, it didn’t matter. It didn’t mean shit.

“It’s fine,” Takao said sighing.

He needed to cool down. Where was Satsu? Aomine walked around the living room until he found her and then he picked her up and came back to the dining room table. She was just so soft. Ok just calm down, he thought frantically as he nestled his fingers behind her ears.

He was staring at the table willing his mind to go blank-

“Daiki.”

He had almost forgotten that Takao was there.

“Just because someone loves you doesn’t mean that they’ll leave you,” he said quietly. “And I wish that I could prove it to you. I really thought that K would come back….”

“I’m just, I don’t know letting the stress get to me. I’ll be in my room.”

He hoisted Satsu with him.

“Daiki, I….” He turned to watch as Takao tried to find the right words. “I haven’t left. You can have both. Please trust me. Don’t pick someone just because you know that you won’t feel anything more than friendship for them. That’s just trying not to get hurt.”

Takao was still looking at the table, trying to get through to him, Aomine could tell.

“Maybe just take some time for yourself. You need to take care of yourself first.”

Aomine nodded. That made sense.

Takao smiled at him. But it just looked sad. But Aomine didn’t know if he’d be ok. He couldn’t reassure him.

He pulled Satsu onto his bed, where he laid propped up on his pillows with her curled up on his belly. Her nails were gone, K must’ve gotten them removed after taking her in. she was currently pawing at his chest, but he had a feeling that she was trying to claw him. What a menace. But still he stared into her eyes. They were slightly milky.

He sighed.

He wished that K were here.

He still wanted him to be there.

He still liked him.

He was an idiot.

***

It was getting humid, August always was. He was trying this “proud and single” thing that Takao was encouraging. Takao said that he should just not think about dating for awhile. Think about the things that he wanted. The things he loved.

After talking to Momoi and thinking some more he’d realized that Takao was right. Asking Tachibana out was the dumbest idea that he’d had yet. Which considering some of his past brain children was saying something. He was glad that he hadn’t fucked up their friendship just because he was having some… well Momoi called it “trust issues.”

He called it a phase of confusion, well more confusion than the general level of confusion that he usually had.

***

Aomine would sometimes study with Tachibana in his dorm room. They were just getting their books out when Rin smacked the door open.

“Makoto!”

Aomine’s eyes opened wide. Oh hell to the no. Why was this guy always on the verge of tears? Well at least he didn’t have to study now.

“What’s wrong?” Tachibana said as he went over to hug Rin.

He was actually crying now. Aomine rolled his eyes. They weren’t paying him any mind anyway.

“Haru, he-”

More crying. Maybe he should study after all.

“It’s ok just breathe.”

“I told him that I wanted to take Sousuke to your next live house, and he said that he wouldn’t go if Sousuke came.”

What? Damn what the hell was that guys problem? Ugh it’s like these people didn’t have any real relationship problems. Aomine was feeling really bitter. Like seriously why couldn’t this Haru and this Sousuke character get along? They were worse than Aomine back in his high school days.

“Uh… I’ll just go…” Aomine finally said. He felt weird being here for this shit show. Besides he felt like a loose canon that might go off at any time. Fuckers. Here they all were in the same fucking country, and yet they didn’t want to see each other.

“Wait Aomine, you met Haru too.” Rin said.

Yeah for like .2 seconds.

“I don’t know why he hates Sousuke so much, what do you think?”

Aomine felt his mouth drop open. What did he think? He didn’t think. Unless forced.

“Uh… you shouldn’t ask me what I think. I’m never right.”

Rin frowned before turning back to Tachibana.

“Maybe you should ask them?” Tachibana tried.

“They both just say that everything’s fine.”

“Tachibana why don’t you ask Haru. Maybe he’d tell you,” Aomine said. Mouth why were you letting sound out?

“That’s a good idea. And Rin, you can talk to Sousuke again. Maybe if you reassured him that you don’t like Haru-chan more, then he’d let you know.”

***

Rin finally calmed down and decided to play videogames while they studied.

It felt so normal…. Here he was in a dorm room, studying, with friends who played videogames. No actors, no crazy awesome basketball skills, just your average blue-haired guy.

“Hey Aomine, your birthday’s the end of August right?” Rin asked.

“Yeah,” he looked at Tachibana.

“Well you mentioned it once. Anyways that weekend I was thinking of playing at my friend’s house. I was hoping to play the song for you. Because I’ve finally finished it.”

“You actually wrote it?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok I’ll be there.”

“Perfect, I love planning a good birthday party!”

“For my birth…?”

Rin was staring at him grinning.

“What?” Aomine said annoyed.

“Nothing, just you seem to be under the impression that people wouldn’t want to celebrate. But of course your friends want to be there.”

Huh. Well he supposed that was normal. I mean not for him. He always celebrated with Takao and Momoi. His birthday was a weekday though so he could do both.

“No it’s, it’s good.”

He was feeling kind of good. This is what Takao meant. Friends. Even weird ones like Rin.

***

Aomine used to have dreams of yellow letters appearing in his mailbox. He’d open them and when he’d start reading K would appear at his door. And the time since he’d last seen him would disappear.

But those dreams had become less and less frequent until they’d stopped altogether.

***

So when he got home he was struck dumb by the sight of the frayed yellow envelope on the table. He didn’t know what to think. He felt numb. Numb yet surprised.

He picked up Satsu and walked over to eye the envelope more closely. He wondered if the return address was Kise’s. No it was probably just the agency’s or something. Kise must’ve known that Aomine would smarten up after what had happened. He wouldn’t carelessly give Aomine his address.

“What do you think Satsu? Is your dad full of shit?”

Satsu mewled pitifully.

“I miss him too,” Aomine muttered. He placed Satsu on the table, Takao hated when Satsu was on the table so Aomine encouraged it. He took the letter and opened it.

 

_A,_

_I’m coming back to Japan for a week. I was hoping that you’d agree to have dinner with me._

_If you want here’s the address:_

_〒_ _104-0061 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Ginza, 6 Chome−16−11,_ _ビルディング_ _アムール_ _1401_

_I’ll be there on August 8 th from 7PM on. _

_I’ll wait for you._

_-K_

 

That wasn’t a restaurant address. It was an apartment address.

“What the fuck.” He hadn’t heard from him in a year. And yet now he was just telling him where he lived.

He wondered if it was the same apartment that he’d had before leaving Japan. Had he kept it all this time?

“Shit.”

***

He needed to hold council, so here he was with Tachibana, Momoi, and Takao all in his living room.

“So what do you think?”

Momoi was staring at the letter.

“Are you going to go Dai-chan?” Momoi asked calmly.

“I don’t know.

“You need to decide what you want.” Takao said as he stood up straight from where he’d been leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “If you go, you can’t go into it blindly, because then you’ll just get caught up in whatever he says, whether it’s that he wants to try dating, or if he tells you that he’s engaged to the hottest model you’ve ever seen.”

Aomine felt a stab of pain in his chest. Takao was right though. No bullshit.

“I don’t trust that he’ll tell me everything,” Aomine said as he looked down at his hands. “And I’m too dumb to tell. What if he says that he wants to date, but just disappears again?”

“He wouldn’t do that,” Tachibana said. Takao and Momoi stared at him. “Remember what you said earlier? That he didn’t want you to have to wait? It was because he didn’t want you to have to sit around and wait for him to come home to you once every three months. I think that he cared more about you than he did about his own feelings.”

Aomine looked over to see what the other two thought. Takao was smiling.

“Tachibana you seem like a true romantic.”

Tachibana blushed.

“Hmm but it sounds like Kise is also a romantic so Mako might be right,” Momoi said.

Aomine sighed. This was confusing.

“Dai-chan, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. It’s not fair for him to just appear and ask you to meet him.”

“We don’t even know what he’s going to say.”

“That’s true, you should figure out what you’ll do if he asks you out, or if he tells you about his new boyfriend,” Momoi said.

Aomine stood up. “I’m going for a run.”

Takao nodded. “I’ll get dinner started.”

“Do you need any help?” Tachibana asked.

“Sure.”

“Um, I could clean something?” Momoi said.

“Bwahahahah,” Takao cackled. “You can pick three movies for us, and then we’ll choose the one we like.”

Tachibana was looking between the two.

“Satsuki can’t cook for shit,” Aomine supplied as he came back out of his room with his shorts on and his headphones out.

“Oh.” Tachibana was frowning slightly. “Aomine?”

“Yeah?” he said as he put his shoes on.

“K left you his cat.”

Aomine stared.

“Well it’s just, as a fellow cat lover, I’d say that he might’ve left it because he knew that he’d have to come back for it. And well also then you wouldn’t be able to forget him.”

They all stared at him.

“What?”

“I think that he still likes you.”

Momoi and Takao exchanged a look.

“Well that’s kind of devious,” Takao said.

Momoi nodded. “It sounds right though.”

“Tachibana are you sure you’re a good guy?” Takao said looking suspicious.

“What? Or course I- what do you-” he was blushing furiously and looking terrified.

“Jeez Takao come on. Tachibana calm down he’s just dicking around.”

***

He didn’t come back until 9, at which point he was exhausted and still confused. He had two weeks to decide whether he’d go or not.

***

Momoi had stayed overnight, but Tachibana had said that he had to hurry off to his dorm, something about an early morning breakfast meeting.

“Typical, that guy has so many friends.”

“Dai-chan there’s nothing going on between you two right?”

“No,” Aomine said as he looked up to Takao who nodded.

“I meant more like friends with benefits because you both seem to be well,” she looked guilty, “lonely.”

“Tachibana seems lonely?”

“You didn’t notice Dai-chan?”

“Uh…. No?”

***

It was the night before he was going to go see Kise. And through much angst, re-angst and confusion he’d finally come to a decision.

“You need to respect yourself,” Takao had said. He hadn’t known what that meant until now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing song:
> 
> "[ Stay"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUWYDaVp92I) by Kygo ft. Maty Noyes


	11. A Gentleman Is Also a Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Takao are you a bottom or a top?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one sentence of plot related information. Literally.   
> Whoops.

Takao had gotten into the habit of following Kise’s social media presence. He wanted to know the minute that he landed in Japan.

Well he’d clearly failed his mission.

But regardless here he was stalking his prey via laptop. Kise was going to be on Nakagawa’s morning show during the week that he’d said that he’d be back in Japan.

Takao leaned back sighing. He didn’t even know what to tell Aomine at this point. I mean he’d had some weird ass relationships but nothing like this.

“Fuck I need a drink.”

It was almost nine so he stopped his reconnaissance and headed over to Kei’s.

“Kazunari! What’ll it be? Beer?”

“No I’m walking back tonight.”

“So shots or cocktail.”

“Whiskey stat.”

“We got a level 8!” Kei yelled.

“I’m more like a 7, empathetically a level 7 at that,” Takao said. I mean the Kise issue wasn’t his issue. But it was because Aomine’s issues were his issues… fuck he was an eight.

“I’m right here why are you yelling?” A sullen faced boy said giving Kei a look that clearly showed that he’d rather be anywhere other than at the bar.

“New recruit?” Takao said, eyeing the guy.

“Nah this is my cousin. Oh look who it is,” Kei said eyeing the door.

Takao looked around in mild interest. Midorima.

“This guy he just started showing up, every Friday. But he doesn’t talk to anyone and when guys hit on hi-”

“Shin-chan!” Takao said loudly and smirking.

“Takao,” he said as he hurried over.

He did look out of place.

Takao ignored Kei who was looking excitedly between the two.

“Make a screwdriver, quick,” he whispered at the alleged cousin.

“How’s your study material working out for you?” Takao said slyly.

Kei handed him his whiskey on the rocks.

“It’s very informative. How’d your protégé holding up?”

“Ah… well it turns out that my book is not so much a gift as a dust collector these days.”

Midorima gave him a questioning look, but Takao just waved him off.

“So you’ve been coming here every Friday?”

Midorima’s cheeks turned pink.

“Well I wanted to ask you about the uh… reading.”

Takao could barely contain his laughter.

“You could’ve called.”

“Yes well I wasn’t sure if it was ok to call.”

“I gave you my number didn’t I?” Ok so he’d only mentioned that last part for Kei’s benefit.

Takao had to work double hard to not roll his eyes at Kei’s dumbstruck face.

Midorima muttered something that sounded vaguely like ‘I didn’t want to intrude.’

Takao smacked his arm.

“Shin-chan it would’ve been fine. No, it _will_ be fine next time just call.”

“It’s ok?”

“Anything for you handsome,” Takao said winking.

He hadn’t meant anything by it. Or rather he’d given up a while ago on the very idea of Midorima acknowledging him as a potential… well a potential anything.

“Takao are you a bottom or a top?”

Kei apparently couldn’t keep it together any longer and burst out laughing.

The cousin looked on in horror.

Takao felt his cheeks pinken. Honestly he switched. And he would be anything for Midorima. But that wasn’t the point.

“Well what are you Shin-chan?”

Midorima looked off towards the door.

“I don’t bottom.”

Takao nodded.

“And if I asked you to?”

Midorima stared at him assessing. Weighing his options. Not that Takao knew what those options were.

“No.”

Well it was good that he knew what he wanted.

Takao leaned in close before whispering, “I’d bottom for you.” He pulled back to enjoy the dumbstruck look on Midorima’s face. Oh sweet revenge. Don’t ask questions like that, if you can’t handle the answer, you green-haired Greek god.

“Kei, I need another,” Takao said.

Kei was shaking his head as he got another drink for him.

“You’re ridiculous,” Kei said quietly as he passed him the drink. Takao just grinned.

Midorima seemed to have retreated into his mind. Doing some hard hard thinking while Takao asked Kei about the “cousin.”

“Kageyama, is definitely my cousin,” Kei said as he threw an arm around him.

“Don’t touch me.”

“You think Hinata would _jump_ in and save you?”

Takao watched as the guy bristled at Kei. He must’ve said something pointed.

“Who’s Hinata?” Takao said pleasantly. He looked over, Midorima still seemed to be temporarily mute.

“Kageyama’s boytoy.”

“He’s just a friend,” the guy said as he made another drink.

“Ah but you wish he weren’t just a friend?” Takao said.

Kagayama narrowed his eyes at him. Takao just smiled innocently.

“Takao.”

Takao looked over at Midorima.

“I’d bottom for you too.”

Kageyama looked horrified again. But Kei and Takao just cackled. Kageyama shoved the new drink at Midroima.

“I’m leaving,” he said.

“Wait Kageyama, come on. Don’t- shit. Wait.” But Kageyama was gone. Phone already out.

***

Takao woke up.

He blinked his eyes open in annoyance at how bright the room was.

Wait a minute…. He bolted up. He was in a room he’d never seen before. He looked down to where he was still in his suit from the night before. On the nightstand sat a pile of what seemed to be pajamas and a glass of water.

Ok water. He chugged, got up and went out the door.

And there was Midorima sitting at a kitchen bar.

“Takao, you’re awake.”

“Yeah….”

“Kei told me that you should stay over.”

“Uh… what happened?”

“You,” Midorima said looking up from his newspaper, “got shitfaced and passed out on the bar. I, and Kei carried you here.”

“Where is here!” Takao said in exasperation.

“My apartment.”

“Yes but where?”

“I live next to Kei’s.”

“What?”

“I. Live. Next. To. Kei.”

Takao blinked.

“So when I asked you to come…”

Midorima shrugged.

“Uh so… but we didn’t…. I mean there was no.”

Midorima stared at him.

“You’re wondering if the sex happened.”

The sex? Takao would probably have laughed had he heard that under different circumstances.

“What do you think I am? A necrophiliac? We took you up, we put you in that bed. I drank water and took care of my body and then went to my own room and slept.”

Takao nodded.

“Right, sorry for intruding on your Saturday morning.”

Midorima just waved him off.”

“Uh, I should get going though.”

“I’m sorry that your suit is wrinkled. You’re welcome to anything in my closet.”

“No it’s fine. Thanks,” besides he’d look like a kid in his father’s suit if he tried to wear anything that fit Midorima.

Midorima nodded and Takao just grabbed his stuff and left.

***

Here he was doing the walk of shame sans mind-blowing orgasms. Of course fate would be cruel like this to him.


	12. You've Got One Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have no idea what that is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I was drunk when I wrote the first half of this. But then I was like "huh that works."  
> I hope that it's ok!   
> Happy reading ٩( ᐛ )و

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go up too?” Takao said as he leaned out of the driver’s window.

“Yeah. Just I don’t know wish me luck, so that I don’t forget what I’ve decided.”

“Ok, good luck Daiki. And call me if you need me to come get you.”

“Right, ok. Well,” he waved with his free hand before hoisting Satsu’s cat carrier higher, she hissed loudly. He rolled his eyes before going into the building.

It had a lounge… a posh lounge. And there was a huge ass front desk with two clerks behind it.

“Can I help you sir?”

“Uh, yeah I’m here to see Kise Ryouta?”

“Name?”

“Aomine Daiki, and uh Satsu,” he said holding up the cage. He felt impossibly nervous. What if the guy told him that he couldn’t go up? That Kise hadn’t told him about any Aomine. Or what if, oh hell, they thought he was a stalker.

“Ah Kise informed us that you would be coming.”

“Oh, ok good.”

“Right this way.”

They got in the lift and the man put a key into it. How rich did you have to be to have a man with a key just to get the elevator to work?

Scratch that he already knew that Kise was rich. But he was still only what… 19 now.

The guy hit the button for the top floor and then got out before the doors closed. Aomine felt even more nervous now that he was alone, he clutched the cage like a protective charm to ward off evil. Satsu yowled.

“Stop that,” he muttered. Oh man there was probably some security guard shaking his head at the security feed. Get a grip Daiki, he told himself just as the elevator stopped.

The doors opened straight into what must be the penthouse.

And there standing ten feet from the entryway was Kise.

He was broader than when Aomine’d last seen him. His white V-neck tight against his muscles. And all of a sudden Aomine’s own V-neck seemed tighter too with how hot he felt. Shit.

He hurried out of the elevator. His brain was on auto-pilot once again.

“Uh, hi,” he said. He groaned internally. Idiot.

“Hello,” Kise said quietly as he came forward with his arms out to take the cage. Aomine handed it to him before slipping his shoes off.

Kise had placed it carefully on the floor and was taking Satsu out. The cat immediately nuzzled up to him.

Little betrayer.

“She missed you,” he said without thinking. I missed you too.

Kise was staring at him, a question in his eyes, but Aomine had no idea what that question was.

Kise smiled down at Satsu. “I missed you too.”

Damn he was jealous of a cat. Fuck me, he thought shaking his head slightly.

“Do you want a tour?”

Aomine nodded.

Kise led the way out of the main hall, which opened up to a huge living room on the right. The far walls were both entirely made of glass and there was a balcony that wrapped around.

“This is the den.”

“Your view is incredible,” he said as he ventured in further. It was amazing. Well, that’s what money got you he thought. He wondered vaguely if his parents had a view like this. They’d just moved to a new place in Hong Kong.

“I can show you the rest?”

“Oh, yeah ok,” he said as he followed Kise back to the hall and to the left side.

“Here’s the kitchen and dining room.”

They crossed through the kitchen to the dining room. There was no wall to separate them and this room too had a huge window.

“And back here is the bathroom.”

Aomine followed in general awe.

“And the guest room,” Kise said as he opened a door.

The room was white and had a huge fluffy bed.

“And this is my room,” he said as he reached the end of the hall.

Kise went into the middle of it as Aomine came in.

He didn’t know why, but he felt weird about going inside so he hovered a few feet from the door and took it in.

There was another gigantic bed with a canopy, an amazing view, and he could just make out an en suite in the back.

“I have a walk-in closet too,” Kise said.

Aomine’s eyes snapped to his. Kise must’ve been watching him. He swallowed.

“Your place is really nice.”

“Thanks,” Kise said smiling sweetly. He walked towards the door and Aomine quickly backed out.

He followed him back to the kitchen, still in shock that he was actually seeing him after so long.

“Thank you for coming, I wasn’t… well I wasn’t sure if you would.”

Aomine looked down. He didn’t know what to say. But he felt like he was supposed to say something. And yet, being honest with Kise just seemed really hard right now. He was so easy to read, and Kise seemed to be really observant, so if he told him what he’d been thinking then wouldn’t he just know everything? And what then? What if, like Takao had said could happen, he was engaged to someone or came back just to tell him that he didn’t actually like him. Or that he was moving to France permanently…. Or that he didn’t even want to be friends at all.

Aomine looked up and Kise was staring at him. His bottom lip between his teeth and worry in his eyes.

How were they even going to be able to talk? Especially when Aomine had no way of knowing what Kise was thinking.

***

Aomine was just standing there, looking so confused. And Kise didn’t even know what he was thinking.

“I’m glad you came,” he finally said. Please say something.

Aomine was staring at him.

“I….”

This was worse than he’d thought. He hadn’t considered the possibility that Aomine wouldn’t be able to say anything.

They used to talk all the time. Easily. _But that was before you ditched him_ , he reminded himself. What was he supposed to do?

Finally Aomine seemed to lose whatever patience he’d had.

“I’m not good at this,” he said sounding more angry at himself than anything else.

“Good at what?”

“Good at,” he gestured between the two of them. “You know, knowing how to- or what to say. I don’t know how to just- shit explain my feelings.”

He said the last word like it was acid.

But he’d said something. Kise moved a little closer. They had been standing almost 15 feet apart and it felt so awkward.

“This isn’t easy to navigate,” he said. “I’m not really sure how to do this either. But I thought a lot about what I wanted to say before and so… I’m going to try to explain what I’m thinking and feeling.”

His heart was beating so fast, but he’d said it. He had one chance that was it. And even if Aomine rejected him he needed to at least say everything.

_Closure._

“I’ll try too,” Aomine finally said.

“Ok. Um, do you want something to eat? I cooked, maybe we could sit down and talk over dinner?”

“You can cook?”

“Um… I learned a little in France. I made beef bourguignon.”

“I have no idea what that is.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. Aomine was cute when he didn’t know things. Not in a creepy condescending way. Just in a clean kind of way.

“Let me introduce you,” he said waving him over to his crockpot. He put Satsu down before opening the lid.

Aomine came over. But he was still a foot away, craning awkwardly to look into the pot. He didn’t want to get too close. It hurt more than it should.

He got out the shallow bowls and scooped some out.

“Here,” he said passing a bowl to Aomine.

“Thanks.”

“There’re napkins and cutlery on the table.”

“No chopsticks?”

“Yeah I’m kind of worried that I’ve forgotten how to use them.”

***

Aomine tried not to look like a total slob as he ate. But of course the first mouthful was hotter than hell.

“Fu- oh magu,” he said. “Hot.”

“Shit.”

His eyes were watering. Kise was running around the kitchen. He shoved a glass of water at him and Aomine chugged. Praise.

“Thanks,” he said as his breath evened out.

“No I’m sorry,” Kise said looking terrified. Shit he must be really on edge for something like this to make him look so worried. But hell Aomine probably looked the same. He needed to just try and act normally. Just talk like it was Takao or Momoi. Like uh a normal person.

“Really it’s ok. Thanks for making dinner.”

“Oh, you’re welcome.”

“Actually it just smelled really good so I kind of shoved too much in my mouth.”

“Oh.”

Kise seemed to be struggling with something. Aomine cocked his head to the side unsure what the problem was.

“Aomine, are… are you seeing anyone?”

Already? Fuck.

But well this was awkward even by Aomine’s standards so maybe cutting to the chase was better. But still he didn’t want to just give up his hand like this.

“No, I’m not.” He forced himself to look at Kise.

Kise who seemed to be breathing heavily.

“Are you?” Fuck he couldn’t help it. He was so mixed up. Half of him wanted to hide everything, but apparently his fucking desire for K outweighed his self-preservation instincts.

He was always mixed up when it came to K.

“No, I’m not. I still….”

Aomine wasn’t breathing. He was just looking at K. How could he say this to him? After he left. K seemed to be thinking that he’d said too much too, because he looked surprised. As if he hadn’t meant to say it.

He put his fork down. He’d been so confused. And then he’d decided to move on, but even though he had moved on in some ways, K had settled into the back of his mind like a disease. Slowly poisoning his thoughts. He’d dream about him and then remember that he’d left. Over and over and over and over again. Like a headache that no amount of medication could shake.

“I still want you,” Kise said quietly voice shaking slightly.

That wasn’t fair. Aomine bolted up.

“How can you- you left!” he yelled. He couldn't help saying it because that was what he always came back to. No matter what went through his mind. Or how he felt. Or how Kise felt. K left.

Aomine had been trying to figure it out for so long, but here it was, the simple truth: he left.

“You left me,” he said as he backed away.

Kise was standing up and coming towards him.

No. He couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

“I can’t do this. I can’t- I can’t feel anything anymore.”

“Aomine please wait.”

WAIT.

“ME? YOU FUCKING WAIT.” He yelled. He felt incensed like everything that had been brewing inside him was finally coming to the surface. Spilling out.

“Wait for a year Kise. Wait here while I leave with only a letter. Wait while I dump my fucking cat on you so that you can never forget me. So that when you fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning the only thing that you can think of is that I should be there with you. You wait like that for a year and then when I come waltzing back after a year of radio silence tell me TELL ME how it felt. Tell me what you would do if I’d left you? If I’d said that I loved you and then showed you that even when people love you it doesn’t matter because they just fucking leave you!”

He was breathing heavily. His hands running through his hair in frustration and anger and confusion.

“I don’t know how to trust you. But even though I can’t trust you I can’t even think about anyone else, and I don’t know how to be with you because you just- you keep- you- this isn’t a relationship or a friendship or whatever. This is you deciding what happens. I get a say Kise. I have a fucking choice too.”

Kise was crying. No… no no no.

He was there in a flash. Arms around him not knowing or caring about anything other than making sure that he was ok.

“Don’t cry, please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” Kise said as he grabbed Aomine’s shirt holding him close. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have, and my- my friend kept telling me that you had the right to choose, but I- and even so- I’m so sorry. I won’t do it again. I’ll tell you. I’ll you everything so please. Please don’t leave.”

Aomine felt Kise cringe as he said the last word. Probably afraid that Aomine would snap again.

Aomine wrapped his arms around him tighter.

This was his problem, he liked Kise too much.

***

He didn’t know how long he’d stayed pressed into Aomine’s chest, but finally his grip slackened. He felt Aomine loosen his hold. They both backed up a little. He tried to wipe away the tears. And then he felt the pads of Aomine’s thumbs as he held onto either side of Kise’s face and wiped his tears away.

“I’m sorry,” Aomine said as he stared at where his thumbs were moving across Kise’s face.

Finally he let go and Kise just stared at him. Trying to breathe normally. But he didn’t want Aomine to stay just because he’d cried, that was cheating.

“If you really want to go I won’t stop you,” he said weakly as he looked down at his feet. He didn’t want to influence Aomine’s decision. “You do have a choice.”

He heard as Aomine sighed.

“The truth is I had finally decided to try and be single…” Aomine said.

Single?

He wanted to just be…

friends….

“I don’t know if I can be just friends with you,” Kise said. He felt like he’d been hit by a truck. But it was true. And he wasn't going to keep it from Aomine. He’d just said that he was going to be honest.

Aomine was staring at him. And Kise, who usually knew what people were thinking couldn’t quite tell wha-

“That’s all I can offer right now.”

Just friends….

He turned around and picked Satsu up just so that he had something to do. He didn’t want to cry again.

“Can I have some time to think about it?”

He didn’t turn around. He didn’t want to know what Aomine looked like at that moment.

It was like they’d been closer when they’d been talking through the phone.

“Yeah that’s fine, I’ll just, I’ll just go.”

Kise bit his tongue to keep from offering the guest room. He didn’t watch, he just hoped that Aomine was leaving, because he didn’t know how much more he could take.

He heard the door shut.

***

Aomine didn’t know where he was walking to. He barely registered as the doorman waved him off.

What was wrong with him? What the fuck was wrong with him? He’d told himself that this was what he needed right now. He’d told himself that if Kise was seeing someone else then he’d still try for friends. And if Kise liked him then he’d also try for friends first. Because he needed trust. And he didn’t trust Kise. But he also didn’t trust himself. He didn’t want to get caught up in Kise and forget how to be just ‘Aomine Daiki.’ ‘Aomine Daiki’ when Kise wasn’t around. He didn’t want to feel like he was drowning in a relationship.

So why did he feel like shit? But if he just went along with whatever K said then did he would have no sense of ugh and he hated to say it but “self-love” as Takao called it.

He needed to put himself first this time. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to be with Kise properly.

And yet still….

***

Aomine finally called Takao to come get him. Takao didn’t ask why he was three kilometers from Kise’s penthouse. Nor did he ask what had happened. What he did ask was: “did you get to say what you wanted to?”

“Yes.”

***

He couldn’t sleep… He couldn’t sleep because he always slept with Satsu. Great that damn cat had been a reminder of K. And now that she was gone her absence was an equally strong reminder.

Fuck he hated that cat.

***

Kise curled up and stared at the photo of Aomine. He hugged Satsu.

Aomine was all mixed up because of him. But he wanted to be friends. Did that mean that Kise was out of the running? Or was this a new chance? He didn’t know. More importantly he didn’t even know if he could do friends.

He hated himself. He hated that he hadn’t listened to Kasamatsu. That he’d thought that he knew what was best for Aomine. That now he didn’t know what to do.

And that all he cared about was being with Aomine. Why wasn’t friends good enough anymore?

***

When Aomine finally drifted off to sleep he was a mess. Waking up god knows how often and feeling like shit.

***

Kise couldn’t sleep. Even with the weight of Satsu on him. He could almost feel Aomine’s love on her.

He probably loved the cat more than Kise.

He laughed and then cried thinking about it.

And when he finally fell asleep it was restless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing song:  
> "[Come Back Home](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrSTjZqocCM)" by Lauv


	13. You've Got Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Fuck but I do love cake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got kind of long but I finally finished it (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑  
> Also Makoto finally sings his song in this chapter so if you want to listen to it during that scene I've linked it down below :)

“Did I do the right thing?” Aomine said as he lied on the couch after the most brutal training session of his life. His lack of sleep hadn’t helped.

“I don’t know.” Takao said. “You’ve surpassed my level of knowledge.”

“Takao why is life so shitty?”

His phone rang. He groaned and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Daiki.”

“Dad?” He whipped up. Takao peered at him over his laptop.

“Son your mom and I are wondering if you’d like to come out to Hong Kong during your next break.”

“Oh um I’ll have to see.”

“Well let us know the dates. It’s been almost a year and-

Aomine heard some talking in the background.

“Sorry I have to go. Email me the dates, we’ll buy you a ticket. Love you son.”

Click.

Aomine stared at the phone. “Unbelievable.”

Takao raised his eyebrows in question.

“He asked if I wanted to go out for my next break. But I might have basketball.”

“Well you can check the schedule.”

“Yeah I guess I better. Well uh… I guess I just have to wait for K to answer. It’s just… if he can’t be friends then… well I don’t know if I can just say no.”

“You want to be with him, but you don’t want to date him just yet.”

“Right, I need some fucking- I don’t know space. Well no to uh ease into it? Shit. Maybe I don’t.”

Takao didn’t tell him not to curse now that he was in college. He also didn’t tell him how to fix his problems. He was starting to think that there was no right answer.

***

Aomine was lying in bed when he got the text.

K: Friends is ok

He sat up his heart beating fast.

A: ok

A: what’re you up to?

K: just got back from the gym

Aomine pictured a very sweaty Kise. He clenched the sheet next to him. Just friends. He needed to not get swept away. Otherwise what was the fucking point.

K: what about you?

A: Nothing, just lying in bed.

***

They’d talked for about an hour. Kise telling him about France. And Aomine telling him about basketball.

A: There was one game where I thought I was literally going to die. That guy Haizaki is so fucking sneaky.

K: I couldn’t believe when the ref didn’t call him out when he stomped on #7s foot.

Aomine stared at the phone. How had Kise known….

A: did you watch the game?

Kise didn’t say anything. Wait wait wait. He knew what school Aomine went to? He’d checked…. And that game had been at the beginning of the year.

A: Have you been watching my games?

A: K you said you wouldn’t keep things from me

K: I’ve seen every one of your games

K: I’m sorry

K: I shouldn’t have looked it up

K: that was overstepping my boundaries

K was probably panicking. But while Aomine had thought that K had just left him and gone off to live the dream K had been…

Aomine got out of bed. He grabbed his keys and then stopped.

What the fuck had he been about to do?

He settled back down and called Kise.

“Hello?”

He sounded so scared. Shit, Aomine didn’t want everything to be so messed up. He didn’t want K to be afraid of every move that he made, and he didn’t want to not be able to trust him.

He was pretty sure that he’d gotten through to him though. That K wouldn’t do something like his disappearing act again, but he was still worried.

But right now he needed to assure Kise that he didn’t need to prove anything to Aomine. That’s not what this was about. It was about them making sure that they knew each other.

“Hey K, listen, it’s ok that you saw my games.”

The line was quiet.

“You’re not angry?”

“No.”

“I still should’ve told you.”

“I mean you didn’t really have time to tell me last night and you were trying not to contact me while you were in France so it’s ok.”

“Ok.”

“Look, I don’t want you to worry that I’ll, I don’t know, that I’ll decide that you’ve made one too many mistakes. I’m upset about the France thing. But you’re only human. It’s ok if you make other mistakes. Although I don’t even feel like you watching my games was something bad that you did, so don’t worry about it. You can keep watching them. I just don’t want you to make decisions about us without talking to me.”

“Yeah that makes sense.”

Aomine waited.

“After this week I’m going back for four months. I signed a contract with Dior to be their model for a new men’s cologne.”

Yeah that fit Kise really well. Especially now that he had bulked up. He’d been strong before, but he looked even stronger now.

“It sounds like you’re doing really well for yourself.”

K laughed wryly. “Yeah, I’ve been pretty good about work.”

Aomine wanted to be at his apartment. He could just imagine K curled up in bed with Satsu.

But he needed to stay firm. He really did want to just be friends right now.

“When you go back to France will we be able to talk?”

“If you want to, then yes.”

“I want to.”

“Ok.”

“Um… you never changed your number.”

“No, I lied so that you wouldn’t call.”

“That’s… well yeah that makes sense.”

“Also I have a photo of you from the morning that I left.”

Aomine blinked at the ceiling.

“I can delete it if you want me to.”

“No, but I should have a photo too.”

“There are photos of me all over the place, honestly I was worried that you’d be sick of seeing my face.”

“No… and I don’t read magazines remember? But that’s not you. That’s Kise Ryouta. I want a photo of K. If we’re swapping. For uh collateral.”

“Ok, I’ll send you one.”

“Right.”

“Um do you want Satsu for the next four months? My agent’s staying in Japan so I can leave her with him if you don’t want her.”

Aomine really hated Satsu. And she reminded him of Kise which drove him fucking crazy.

“Yeah I want her.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“Ok.”

***

He was so tired the next day. They’d stayed up talking. And Kise had seemed mostly relaxed by the end. Aomine couldn’t help but smile even though his body was groaning in protest as he got out of bed.

K had said that he’d be back on December 15th. And that he’d be in Tokyo for a few days before going up to see his family for the holidays.

***

K sent him pictures like he used to. But he didn’t wake him up in the mornings, or send quite as many pictures.

“He’s probably trying to give you space,” Momoi said through the phone.

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I mean you told him just friends right? So he doesn't want to bombard you with texts. And if the goal is that you aren’t always thinking about him, then it’s better this way.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Dai-chan you know that you can just ask him why he’s acting a little differently if you’re not sure right? And if he says that’s why then you can thank him for thinking of your feelings.”

“No I know I just don’t want to always have to talk about feelings. I just want to talk you know? Although we should probably talk about this kind of thing more.”

“Definitely, communication is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. That and trust.”

“So the two things that we suck at.”

“Just cause you suck at them now doesn't mean that you will later.”

“Great I feel spectacular now.”

“Just you know, try to learn.”

He sighed.

“You’re right,” she really was right though. “Thanks for helping me out Satsuki.”

“Of course. Also I have a date on Friday.”

“Who is he? What’s his name?”

“Dai-chan you’re scary. His name’s Mitaka Minoru. He’s in two of my seminars.”

“He’s nice?”

“Yep! Really nice. He has a single-mom actually so he’s really good about how he treats women.”

“Ok good. That’s all I need to know.”

“Dai-chan you’re so sweet looking out for me.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Sure sure ok I have to go study, but let me know if there are any updates?”

“Yeah, you too.”

***

He was counting the days down. And fighting the urge to just call the whole friends thing off because he was frustrated as hell.

Tachibana said that he was building character.

Takao said that he should take his time and that Kise would definitely wait for him. He got this intense look in his eye, like it was crucial that Aomine understand this. He simultaneously understood and was freaked out.

Finally it was the day before Kise left. Aomine had abstained from asking to go over during the week. But he did want to see him. Just one more time before he left again.

A: Can I come over?

He didn’t respond for an hour but then finally:

K: Yeah I can give Satsu to you too.

A: Ok, I won’t stay too late, I know that you have a flight in the morning

K: That’s fine.

He got there around 8:00.

The doorman greeted him by name. He wondered if the other people in this building just didn’t have a lot of guests or what. Maybe part of their job was memorizing people’s names.

***

K was waiting for him near the door.

“Hey, come on in.”

“Thanks.”

“I made dinner if you want some. But it’s not much.”

Aomine remember with some guilt that he hadn’t eaten much of the last dinner.

“Yeah I’d like to actually finish it this time.”

Kise looked startled.

“I’m sorry about, well last time was shitty,” Aomine said.

“I’m not really sure that you should be apologizing though,” Kise said frowning slightly. “I mean it was good that you were able to say everything that you’d been thinking.”

“You’ve been really open too.”

Kise was looking sad again.

“It’s kind of a first for me with people outside of my family.”

They were in the kitchen now and Kise was pulling out a huge salad full of various veggies and mozzarella slices.

“Well thanks for doing it for me,” Aomine said.

“I’m not just doing it for you though,” Kise said quietly. “I’m doing it for me too.”

It felt kind of hard to breathe all of a sudden. Like Kise was going to say something really important.

“After Sho and with my career and everything… well it’s just different with you.”

He wasn’t looking at Aomine, in fact it almost seemed like he was talking to himself, because he just stayed silent as he stared into the salad bowl.

Aomine watched, not wanting to interrupt whatever Kise was thinking.

“I just mean I’m not used to friendships like this. And I think that you’re right, being friends is really good for us right now. Even if I want something more….”

He looked up at Aomine. Aomine nodded.

It seemed like K had been doing a lot of thinking too.

“Alright friend salad me.”

Kise grinned as he got the plates out.

They sat in the den.

“So when you’re in France how do we talk?”

“Skype and line?”

“Ok. If you can’t talk a lot that’s ok.”

“I’ll try.”

***

Fuck it was 11:00. He wondered if cabs charged extra for screaming cats.

They’d been sitting on the couch just talking, and he’d started becoming altogether too aware of Kise’s mouth. Of all the expressions he made and how perfect his teeth were. Which was not something that Aomine had ever really noticed about a person.

And he was trying not to stare at his lips, but he was tired and Kise was just being amazing all over again.

This is how he’d fallen, and that was before he’d even seen the guy.

“You should go,” Kise whispered.

They’d been slowly sinking lower and lower into the couch, their feet up on the coffee table and heads altogether too close for friends.

“Why?” Aomine said. He knew why.

Kise’s cheeks were pink.

“Because you keep staring at my mouth.”

“Yeah.”

“Aomine are you listening?”

“No.”

“Aomine,” Kise said in desperation, “please.”

“Please what? You want me to go?”

Kise rolled away from him.

“No, but you have to because if you don’t I’m going to kiss you, and even I don’t kiss my friends.”

“Why are we just friends again?” He said. He knew why, but he just wanted to be with Kise so bad right now. Not in a sex way, well yes that, but as more than friends.

He should stop talking. He should listen to Kise and go home.

But he just wanted to finally know what he tasted like.

Kise was groaning.

“Aominecchi please, I can’t say no to you when I like you this much, but you’ll be so pissed at yourself afterwards.”

Kise looked over in frustration. And then blinked rapidly at the sight of Aomine’s face. Aomine felt slightly warm, his eyelids heavy.

“No. Hell no,” Kise said as he leapt off the couch. “This isn’t what you wanted. You have to go. If you don’t go then who knows what will happen and then there’s no chance for us.”

Aomine jerked out of his stupor. Kise was right.

Of course, what had Aomine been thinking. He felt like a lead doll as he got up. It took all his strength to give Kise a wide berth.

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” Aomine said. He was hoping that this ended with them together and here he’d been just fucking around.

Kise exhaled loudly. “It’s ok, let’s get Satsu.”

They were silent as they got Satsu and the cat bag together.

Aomine was hovering by the door.

Kise had his arms wrapped around himself.

“Well, I-” no kissing Aomine, he thought angrily. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

“But we’ll talk sooner. I promise.”

Aomine smiled at his look of determination.

“Good.”

He got in the elevator.

They stared at each other as the doors closed.

***

When he got into bed he checked his phone.

K: Night A

A: Night K

***

When Aomine woke up he thought three things in quick succession: 1) He had been such a dumbass last night letting his feelings run away. 2) Kise was even hotter for being able to kick him out. And 3) he should wish Kise a safe flight and himself a safe four months of sexual and heartular? Frustration.

“Damn it.”

Satsu meowed loudly.

“Quiet you punk. Why is it that you got to sleep in the same bed as him when even I don’t get to do that? Fucker.”

Ok get it together.

A: Sorry about last night. Thanks for keeping me from doing something stupid

A: I hope that you have a safe flight.

***

He was emptying out the cat bag when he came across another yellow envelope. He almost had a heart attack as he ripped it open, but then there was a photo of Kise and a small slip of paper.

 

_Here’s the photo I promised. I hope it’s ok._

Kise was on his stomach in bed. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and had a small smile on his face as he reached up for the camera.

Aomine needed to go back to that shitty antique store and buy a frame.

Four months. As just friends and then maybe… if things went well….

***

It was Aomine’s birthday and Takao had said that he’d pick him up after practice.

He walked over and got in the passenger side. Takao stared at him. He stared at Takao. Takao turned on the car and they drove home.

Takao hung back so that Aomine could open the door first. He had a sense of dread.

He opened the door. There were fucking balloons and Takao had draped a huge rainbow flag. He was wondering when his gay party would occur. But Takao probably didn’t want to do it when the guy Aomine liked had ditched him. But now that things had settled down, Takao had seized his chance. Nevertheless Aomine had to put up a fight.

Aomine turned around. Takao pushed him into the apartment.

“Sit the fuck down, don’t ruin this for me.”

Aomine grumbled and pretended to cry for effect.

“That flag is yours, I’ve had it hidden in your closet since the day you moved in. For symbolic effect,” he clarified.

Aomine rolled his eyes. But he also eyed the flag warily. Had it really been hiding in his closet?

And then Takao pulled out a cake.

“Fuck but I do love cake.”

“Yes and only the gay kids in this family get cake from uncle Takao,” he said as he shoved it in front of Aomine.

“I’m the only kid in this family.”

“Yes and you are the only one who gets cake. And look at the decorations!” Takao said as he clapped his hands together and beamed down at the frosting. There was the most grotesque frosting image of Aomine brandishing a rainbow flag and with an “I’m bi and I’m a lil’ s**t.” speech bubble.

Takao was banging around the kitchen getting plates and forks.

“This is so tacky.”

“Tacky and delicious.”

“How long did it take you to get all this together?”

“I’ve been ready for years. Really it was quite easy,” he said looking smug. Aomine doubted that.

They scarfed down the cake and talked about Takao’s job, apparently things were going really well for him at work.

***

And then the weekend after his birthday was Tachibana’s live. It was at some guys “country house.” Tachibana had gotten them all invites and Takao had leant him the car so here he was at a house with a fucking backyard and a pool in the countryside. Basketball season had just ended so for once in his life he was going to drink more than he should, his body be damned.

“Aomine! Happy birthday!” Rin cheered as he came in.

Haru said a quiet happy birthday.

“Where’s Tachibana?”

“Getting ready, anyways this is from Haru and I.”

Rin thrust a brown paper bag at him. He eyed it suspiciously.

“Did you get me like crack?”

“No!”

He pulled out a flask. It was surprisingly normal if not large.

“Thanks, it’s actually….”

“Classy on the outside trashy on the inside,” Rin said as he put his arm around Haru’s waist.

“What’s in it?”

“Bottoms up.”

“You sound creepy as fuck.”

“What? How can you say that! We’re friends, I’d never put something sketchy in it.”

“We are?”

Rin’s mouth hung open.

“No just-”

“We are,” Haru said.

Oh. Well Aomine just hadn’t been sure.

It tasted like piss. Well he didn’t know what piss tasted like. But he imagined like this.

He was coughing.

“40 proof, you’re welcome.”

Haru rolled his eyes and handed him a small package.

“I thought you were in on the flask?”

“That gift is the worst,” Haru said looking annoyed.

Aomine sniggered as Rin looked on the verge of tears.

He opened the box to reveal a small model of a panther.

What. The. Fuck.

“You think he’s a panther?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh… thank you?”

“You’re welcome,” Haru said smiling.

Aomine tried to think if he’d ever seen Haru smile before. Huh. He looked good when he smiled.

“Rin.”

They all turned.

“Sousuke!”

Oh the friend that they wanted to set Tachibana up with. And that Haru hated.

Aomine wasn’t sure what to expect. He saw Haru tense. But Rin didn’t seem to notice as he went over to talk to the guy.

“Nanase,” the guy said as he came over. Oh ok. Yeah calling your best friends boyfriend by his family name.

Well that didn’t seem like a good sign.

“Yamazaki.”

Fuck Aomine felt bad for Rin.

Ok cutting the tension.

“Hey, I’m Aomine Daiki.”

“Yamazaki Sousuke,” the guy said as he nodded at him. “Rin says that it’s your birthday.”

“Last week. You live in Tokyo?”

“Nah I’m down in Osaka.”

“College?”

“Yeah.”

They talked for a while. Haru looked like he was still tense, but Aomine hoped that not having to talk to Yamazaki made it better.

“Rin get you the flask?”

“Yeah.”

Sousuke reached into his jacket to pull out his own flask.

“Hey Rin, is this some kind of gang initiation,” Aomine yelled over his shoulder, but he and Haru had disappeared.

“It’s just his thing,” Yamazaki said.

“Right.”

“Yo kill the music,” said a fluffy haired red head with purple eyes from the steps to the back door of the house.

Someone stopped the music. “Hey guys, Mako’s going to play for us.”

There was some general cheering. Man the guy had fans. Well he was definitely good enough.

“Cheers,” Yamazaki said as he clinked his flask to Aomine’s. Aomine took a gulp from his own and they headed in.

He still didn’t know where Rin and Haru were. He was just craning his neck when-

“They’re probably making out in a bathroom.”

Aomine’s eyes snapped to Yamazaki’s. He looked pissed, but he was staring at where Makoto was at the front of the room.

Aomine didn’t really have anything to say so he just watched as Fluffy handed Tachibana the mike.

“Hi friends!” he said. A group of girls near the front squawked at him happily. One of them yelling about how much they loved him.

“Oh it’s the volleyball team,” Rin said.

Woah they were back. Aomine eyed them. Yeah they looked worse for wear, but Haru looked more relaxed so that was good.

“How do you know that?” Haru asked.

“He has a photo with them in his room.”

“He does?” Aomine asked. He hadn’t noticed.

“Yeah.”

“Alright, my friend Kisumi is on drums,” he said pointing to Fluffy. “And that’s Genta on backup vocals and bass.”

They played mostly soft rock, and some boy bands. Makoto’s voice was amazing. He’d almost forgotten cause it had been so long.

“Damn he’s so good,” he breathed out as he clapped along with the other people in the audience. They’d just played their last song.

“He’s amazing, don’t you think so Sousuke?” Rin said.

No subtlety.

Aomine turned though to see Yamazaki standing with his mouth slightly open and frowning.

“Yeah.”

Aomine frowned himself, but then Makoto was talking again.

“So I actually have a friend here tonight. And it’s his birthday.”

There was cheering.

“I’d tell you who he is, but he might want some anonymity for what’s coming next.”

Aomine stiffened: Makoto had said that he’d play the song. But Aomine hadn’t been able to bring Kise with him. But he guessed that Makoto was going to play it anyway.

“So my friend met someone.”

Someone yelled “YEAH,” really loudly.

Makoto laughed.

“Yeah, but then this person went away for a long time. And as he was explaining it to me I just felt like it was a love song waiting to happen. So this is for him and his future bae.”

Makoto blushed slightly. Well played not letting out Kise’s pronouns. Aomine didn’t need random people knowing his sexuality. Although actually no one knew that “he” meant Aomine. He took another swig.

“It took me almost a year to write this, but here goes.”

He began strumming.

Aomine felt his heart beating faster. And then Makoto was singing.

 

_All I want is nothing more_

_To hear you knocking at my door_

 

He sounded almost desperate as the words came to his lips. Desperate and yet holding himself back.

_When you said your last goodbye_

_I died a little bit inside_

_I lay in tears in bed all night_

Aomine’s breath hitched. He had cried.

 

_But if you loved me_

_Why'd you leave me?_

_Take my body_

He pulled out his wallet barely conscious of what he was doing. He had a copy of Kise’s photo there.

_Oh oh_

He didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the song or the photo or just everything. But he wished Kise were here.

 

_So you brought out the best of me,_

_A part of me I've never seen._

He’d apologized, he’d come back, and he’d kept his promise of talking to Aomine.

_But if you loved me_

_Why'd you leave me?_

Fuck he liked him so much. Friends? What a joke. He could act like a friend, but he didn’t think that his heart would ever see Kise that way. But he didn’t want Kise to be able to see everything, take everything. He was scared. Scared of everything that this song laid out in the open.

_And all I need is_

_To find somebody._

_I'll find somebody._

 

He no longer asked why Kise had left him.

He knew why he’d done it; Kise cared too much.

And he’d been watching Aomine’s games. And hell not getting over him? And wishing that he was with Aomine too?

_Oh_

 

But he couldn’t just jump into a relationship. He could try to show Kise what it was like to have a real friend though. Who you could talk to. Who you could compromise with. And who eventually you could date.

After France.

When Kise came back Aomine wouldn’t let his hurt, or confusion, or fear make him say no.

He liked Kise. And yeah sometimes he liked him too much. But so long as his head wasn’t mush because of it, it was ok right?

He just needed to start thinking straight. He didn’t have to give up his feelings.

 

_I'll find somebody like you._

 

Makoto was just finishing. Aomine closed his wallet and stuck it in his back pocket.

Everyone was silent.

Aomine made his way to the front of the room. He didn’t really care that people would guess it was him. When had he ever cared what people thought?

“Aomine,” Makoto said as he came up.

“Thank you,” he said as he hugged him.

He heard, what he assumed to be the volleyball team, let out an ‘awwww.’

“You’re welcome,” Makoto whispered as he squeezed back.

They pulled apart and Tachibana turned to the crowd.

“Give it up for the birthday boy!”

There were shouts and Kisumi hit the stereo back on as people started dancing and moving away.

“You’re voice, is just amazing and that song,” Aomine said as Makoto put the guitar away.

“I’m really glad that you liked it. I was worried that you might feel kind of….”

“No it was good to hear it all put so uh, simply?”

Makoto laughed. “Yeah.”

“Makoto!” Rin said as he hurried forward and hugged him quickly. “Aomine I had no idea I’m sorry,” Rin said as he turned towards him. Aomine didn’t have time to dodge the crying swimmer. Ah fuck. Rin’s arms were gripping him tightly. Oh well, hugging your friends was good.

Only then did he notice Yamazaki and Tachibana staring at each other.

Yamazaki’s face looked pained, and Tachibana was looking down clearly upset.

What in the world?

“And it was so beautiful and my heart hurt,” Rin was saying. Aomine looked over at Haru who was looking at Rin in Aomine’s arms. Finally Aomine raised his eyebrows pointedly and Haru pulled Rin away from him.

Amen.

“Tachibana it was a good song,” Yamazaki said. His voice sent chills down Aomine’s spine.

“Yamazaki….”

“I have to head out, I’ll see you all later, nice to meet you Aomine,” he said before leaving.

Aomine wasn’t sure what was going on, but he was starting to think that Rin might have been slow on the startup.

“You should go after him,” Aomine said to Tachibana.

“What?”

“There’s something right? So go after him. Communication is important.”

Tachibana looked at Haru guiltily.

“Oh hell just go Tachibana it’s your life.”

“I’m sorry,” he said as he squeezed Haru’s arm before chasing after Yamazaki.

Aomine let out a sigh. Rin was staring after them in shock, and Haru looked slightly hurt.

Well it was turning into quite the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song that Makoto sings is "[All I Want](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spufq00KKZw)" by Kodaline. I've linked the Stevie McCrorie cover (from The Voice UK) because I wanted the more raw version of the song. So even though his voice doesn't sound like Makoto's I want that kind of feeling in Makoto's rendition :)


	14. You've Got Skype

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We sound like newlyweds and it’s disgusting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is necessary BUT really we just need to get to the next chapter because that's when K comes home <3   
> And the slow build actually builds :)

Aomine had slept in Takao’s car and then woken up to the shittiness of having to drive back to Tokyo with a slight hangover.

But he made it in one piece. He messaged Tachibana to ask how things had gone, but he hadn’t responded.

“How’d it go last night?” Takao asked as he tumbled into the apartment.

“I have a hangover.”

“Is my baby ok?”

“The car’s fine. Is my cat ok?”

“What! I fed her, goodness. It’s not her fault that she’s stuck living with a punk.”

“Ok ok, I need pills.”

***

Finally Tachibana messaged him back that night and said that he could come over to talk if he wanted. Ok good. He was feeling tired as fuck so he didn’t even pretend that he was going to study, he just brought his keys and wallet.

“So,” he said as he dropped onto the floor. Moaning in relief as he stretched out.

Tachibana looked tired too.

“What’s the story?”

“Short version ok?”

Aomine shrugged.

Tachibana looked like he just wanted to get it over with.

“We met in high school when Haru and Rin started dating. Rin and Yamazaki went to school together for elementary. Then junior high Rin was with us. And then he left for Australia. When he came back in high school Yamazaki transferred into his school.

“I think at first we were both missing Haru and Rin. I’m pretty sure that Yamazaki had liked Rin for a long time, and I was just starting to get my own feelings in order.”

Tachibana sighed as if exhausted.

“We slowly just kind of got closer, but Haru and Yamazaki hate each other. And I was scared. Haru and Rin fight about Yamazaki a lot. And I didn’t want Haru to feel like he had to fight with me about it too. And Yamazaki’s never told me why he hates Haru. It’s just, some things are more important than dating.”

“Like friendship,” Aomine said. He kind of got it. I mean Tachibana was being a dumb fuck, but Aomine still understood why.

“Yeah, and I just I told Yamazaki that it couldn’t happen, but he blames Haru and it just got worse from there.”

“That sounds shitty.”

“Yeah but that’s just how things were. I don’t mind not dating anyone. I really care about my friends and family more.”

“It doesn’t seem fair that you have to give up being with Yamazaki just because Yamazaki and Haru don’t get along though. You shouldn’t have to pick one or the other.”

Makoto nodded slowly.

“But I do have to pick.”

“Haru gets both you and Rin though. Why don’t you get Haru and Yamazaki?”

Tachibana shook his head as if he didn’t know how to answer.

Ok so that had been their history. But he still didn’t fully understand.

“So last night….”

“He was upset about the song. He didn’t understand how I could understand your feelings so well about K, but not realize how hard it was for him.”

Tachibana looked really sad now.

“And now he’s hurting too, and Haru’s upset and I just I don’t think that I can make them all happy. I don’t know how.”

“Listen Tachibana that is not your fucking job. Your job is to be a good friend and, in my opinion, to be a good boyfriend to someone who seems to really like you and who you like. You can be both. Yamazaki and Haru just need to get over themselves. Besides Rin’s already dating Haru so what you do or don’t do doesn’t change the fact that you all have to see each other.”

Tachibana was silent, but Aomine had the feeling that he was listening. Aomine wasn’t really good at this. He needed Momoi or Takao or K. Fuck K was probably great at this too. Actually why was it that everyone that Aomine hung out with was all caring and great at thinking?

Ugh he felt kind of like a dumb fuck now.

“I’m scared of Haru being angry.”

“Fuck Tachibana please PLEASE just you have Yamazaki wanting to be with you right? And you like him. And he’s here in Japan so just talk to them all at the same time if you have to. But don’t just keep it all in. That shit fucks you up. And Haru’s a big kid he’ll understand.”

“I don’t…. I don’t know how.”

“Do you need me to get them all here for a meeting? I can even stay if it will help.”

“Ok.”

***

Yamazaki was back in Osaka so they asked him to come up the next weekend, which gave Aomine and Tachibana time to prepare, and to skype in Momoi, and to talk to ask Takao for advice. And for Aomine to tell K about Tachibana’s square love problems and get advice there too.

Then finally they got around to Tachibana asking Aomine how things had gone with K. Aomine had told him all week that they weren’t going to talk about it until they got Tachibana set up, but now it was Friday night and Aomine was updating Tachibana.

“So you’re just going to be friends?”

“For now, but I just, I really like him.” Aomine was lying on the floor of Tachibana’s dorm room with his arm over his face. He’d just finished practice. Even in the off season they practiced, it just wasn’t as demanding. But also this had been a really weird week.

He tried to think back to what he and K had talked about and then he remembered his dumb ass maneuver. He groaned.

“I almost jumped him before he left. Like a total dick. After I told him that I wanted to be just friends and everything.”

“Everyone slips up sometimes.”

Aomine peered over his arm to where Tachibana was smiling at his homework. Weirdo.

***

They had the long-awaited meeting. Everyone was high strung. Rin cried for most of it. Haru, although frustrated said that Aomine was right and that Tachibana was too self-sacrificing.

Yamazaki was mostly expressionless, as if he didn’t want to get his hopes up. But when Tachibana finally said that he wanted to date him Yamazaki bolted up and kissed him.

At which point Aomine said that he was leaving and he, Haru and Rin left the dorm room.

“We should get food, I’m buying,” Aomine said. Feeling slightly guilty because Haru did seem somewhat upset.

“I want mackerel,” Haru said.

Right. Ok mackerel.

***

After that things settled down. Tachibana did seem happier though – if that was possible. But Aomine was kind of bummed. He and Kise had been like ships in the night during the last two weeks. Never messaging at the same time, and never being able to pickup when the other called. But then finally they’d found some free time to talk.

A: Can you skype soon?

His phone rang.

“Hey, I only have Wednesday free. This weekend we’re doing an onsite shoot and I won’t have a lot of free time. I’ll be able to message on the way there and back, but not while I’m up in the mountains. They said we probably won’t have service.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“They have emergency gear.”

“Ok, well be safe, and uh could you message me when you finish? Just I don’t know I’m kind of worried.”

Kise laughed lightly.

“Sure.”

“And we can skype on Wednesday?”

“Yeah I really want to.”

***

Aomine called his dad. He’d just found out that they were going for training over break so he couldn’t go to Hong Kong.

His dad didn’t answer so he called his secretary. It was always more effective to leave a message there.

“Yeah could you just tell him that I can’t make it for break because of training?”

“Certainly, I’m sure that he’ll be very sad to hear that you can’t make it.”

“Yes I’m sure, thank you for taking my message.”

“Of course. Goodbye Mr. Aomine.”

“Goodbye.”

The line went dead.

It was so easy to slip into the polite kid that his parents had tried to raise. The table manners, the phone etiquette. No wonder they’d been so disappointed when Aomine turned out to be more brawn than brain, or when he turned out to care less about his position and more about fucking around. Figurative fucking around.

He sighed he did miss them…. Well sometimes. He felt shitty that he didn’t miss them more. And then he felt shitty that he sometimes wished that he didn’t have parents because he spent so much time being confused by them that it would be so much easier if it were just him and Takao. And then he wondered if he’d feel bad if they actually did die in some terrible accident. Would he feel guilty that he didn’t care? Or was it natural when your parents left to live in Hong Kong, never came home, didn’t answer your calls, and only made one attempt every couple years to get you to come out to see them – for you to not care about them? Or did the fact that he worried so much mean that he did care?

He groaned out an existential ‘why?’ before passing out on the couch.

***

“Daiki!”

“What!” he yelled as he bolted out of his slumber.

“You were sleeping?”

“What did it look like?”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he said scratching his head.

“Anyways what’s so important that you’re yelling?”

“I got a promotion.”

“What?”

“Yeah at work. My salary is going up a lot like a lot we could… we could maybe move.”

“You want to move?”

Takao smiled.

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

“I thought you said that you didn’t want a bigger place?”

“What? Oh I only said because your parents were going to pay for some ritzy apartment. And I didn’t want to take their money.”

“But you’re taking care of me.”

“Yeah, and they do pay for your food, and part of the apartment, but they wanted us to live somewhere that I could never afford. At least not with my savings plan.”

“Oh yeah I do remember them offering me my own place, because you didn’t want to move.”

“Right, but it’s not nearly as fun if we’re leeching off of your parents money.”

“We sound like newlyweds and it’s disgusting,” Aomine said.

“Shut your trap mister! This is a normal conversation between uncle and nephew in not-normal circumstances. Now do you want me to let you have a glass of this extremely expensive sake or not?”

“Yes please.”

“Ok.”

***

On Monday K messaged him.

K: back safe and sound from the mountains (￣▽￣)ノ

Aomine sighed in relief.

***

Aomine was in his room on Wednesday. Yes he was missing a class. But the lecture would be online and Tachibana had promised to take notes for him anyway.

Skype, he was so ready to Skype.

His laptop started ringing and he quickly entered the video-chat.

“Kise.”

“Aominecchi, long time no see.”

“How was your trip?”

“Really good. But it was cold.”

“In August?”

“We were like really high up and then they wanted me to wear briefs and a really thin button down that wasn’t even buttoned. But this isn’t as bad as some of my other shoots so….”

Aomine was starting to wonder.

“How often are you naked in front of cameras?

Kise laughed. “Only sometimes.”

Aomine scowled and then realized that he didn’t really have a right to do that.

But Kise was leaning on his elbow with his hand in front of his mouth clearly trying to hide his laughter.

“It’s a legitimate question!”

“I know.”

They looked at each other for just longer than for it to go unnoticed.

Kise sighed as he leaned back, looking relaxed.

“So what was the party that you went to?”

“Oh, it was just a house party out in the country. Also Tachibana was playing so I think that’s why it was so full.”

“He’s really good?”

“Yeah, he… well good enough to get Yamazaki’s panties in a twist.”

“Hmmmm,” Kise hummed. “That sucks.”

“Worse than us?” Shit.

Kise startled, but then recovered himself.

“I think that would be worse than sometimes living in different countries.” He looked down at his lap slightly frowning. “But not worse than having someone ghost.”

“Hey I didn’t mean it like-”

“No I know I know. It’s just what I was thinking.”

“Oh ok.”

Kise smiled at him. He seemed to be ok so Aomine didn’t worry.

“Actually Tachibana sang uh well he wrote this song for us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah,” Aomine felt kind of uncomfortable telling him. But he also really wanted to tell him. “When you went to France, the first time I told him about you.” He could remember it now…. “Oh but not who you were. Or I mean just I told him about K.”

Kise nodded.

Right.

“Anyways he said that it sounded like the start to a-”

He stopped. You wouldn’t normally tell your friends this would you?

“A what?” Kise said, eyes wide.

Aomine blushed. Shit. “A love song.” And then Kise was blushing and they altogether were acting way too much like a pack of tween girls and Kise was covering his face and Aomine muttered that he needed to grab some water.

When he came back to the computer they seemed to have both slightly recovered. He needed something to distract them. He saw the panther model on his desk.

“Anyways look what Haru got me for my birthday.”

“Is that a panther?”

“Yeah.”

“Why did he get you a panther?”

“You know he’s kind of weird but he seemed to have a reason. I just don’t know what that reason was,” he said as he held it up to his face and examined it.

“Oh ok. When’s your birthday?”

“August 31st.”

“Only a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah, that’s the other reason that we went out to the house party.”

“Oh I didn’t know.”

“Yeah and also.”

He explained about the gay birthday party. Kise asked if he had a picture of the cake, he did. He sent it to K’s phone. They talked about Takao’s promotion. About Aomine’s first hangover and then about their schedules.

“So you’ll be at training camp the first week of October?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah shoot, ok I have another mountain stint the week after.”

“So can we skype October 13th?”

Kise rummaged through his planner.

“Yeah that sounds good. Ok I really should get going, I have my personal trainer at 9:00.”

“Yeah ok I’ll ta- wait Kise.”

“Yeah?”

“When’s your birthday?”

“June 18th.”

“Right, ok.”

“Bye Aominecchi.”

“Bye Kise.”

Aomine felt pleasantly warm. Then he eyed Satsu.

“Fuck. I’m sorry I forgot.”

Satsu mewled.

“Next time I promise ok?” he said as she jumped onto his desk and then into his lap.

***

Aomine always loved training camp because it was just straight basketball for days on end. And everyone he was with was focused on basketball too.

College basketball wasn’t like high school basketball. Everyone was better. And he wasn’t the only one who had been scouted. There were players who, while not as good as him, could keep him on his toes.

He woke up at 6:00 in anticipation and got to the bus just as early as the coach.

“Aomine. Eager are we?”

“It’s basketball,” he said scowling. I’m always eager.

“Yes it is,” he said looking at Aomine with something like pride.

***

When he got back from camp Takao was smirking at him.

“What?”

“Something came in the mail for you,” he said holding up a small box. “Express delivery from one Kise Ryouta, alias: K.”

“What is this a crime show?”

“If it were I’d be the comic relief. Not the one who dies though, the one who they need to keep on the show.”

Aomine rolled his eyes, before taking the proffered box.

He retreated to his room, but not before saying “Maybe the comic relief in an old peoples show.”

“Daiki!”

He locked the door feeling giddy and then sat on the floor to inspect the box.

There was a small card in it.

 

_A,_

_I’m sorry that it’s late. It was really fun to Skype with you on Wednesday._

_Happy birthday._

_-K_

Aomine undid the wrapping. There was a small bottle of cologne inside. _Dior Homme Cologne._

 

There was another small yellow paper underneath it.

 

_This is the cologne that I’m promoting. They gave me a free sample. I don’t know if you like cologne, but maybe for special occasions._

Aomine wondered how much something like this might sell for. Then he smiled at the thought that Kise hadn’t just tried to buy him something ridiculous. He’d merely given him a sample.

He put it on his dresser and stretched. He felt a lot better after camp.

***

Between basketball and his classes Aomine barely had time to worry about how much he did or didn’t like Kise.

He felt good not thinking about him all the time. But he also guessed that he was finally able to feel this way, because he wasn’t wondering whether or not Kise still liked him. Kise did like him, and they were friends and that was so good right now.

He’d also realized that Kise wasn’t used to sharing personal information. Aomine could tell because it was always kind of awkward when Kise told him things. Not that Aomine cared, because he lived in a constant state of awkward but not caring.

But Kise would tell him things like he was giving a scheduling update.

“Aomine I’ll be unable to text from the 18th to the 20th because I have a shoot in a cave. They said that we’re spelunking down. But I wanted to let you know.”

Aomine thought it was kind of cute, which was stupid. But well it was Kise so….

How he felt was that if things were like this then he wouldn’t mind taking it a step further. He wasn’t obsessing. He had other things in his life. And Kise was telling him what was going on, which is what you’d want in a relationship. But not in a creepy way. Aomine didn’t interrogate him. But important things.

Before he knew it it was December.

***

He was trying to think through what he wanted to say. He wanted to be with Kise.

But what if Kise needed more time? Kise didn’t seem to have a lot of people who he talked to like this. Who he could be open with. Maybe he needed Aomine as a friend…. Or maybe he wanted more too.

Everything Kise did over the last 16 months kind of made sense.

“Takao, I need advice.”

“Again? Yes you should keep doing what you’re doing. Yes Kise is both attractive and has a good heart. No he shouldn’t have left. Ok what else?”

Aomine glared at him, but Takao was smirking. Now that Aomine was happy again Takao was being an ass again. Of course he was.

“ANYWAYS, Kise’s coming home in a couple weeks and I…. Well I want to know if it’s too soon to ask him if maybe he wants to not be just friends anymore.”

“Too soon?” Takao said sarcastically.

“Takao he, well he’s finally getting used to this friends thing. I don’t think that he really has a lot of close friends other than his manager and family.”

“Sounds like someone else we know,” Takao said as he closed his laptop.

“I have lots of friends.”

“Yes, but remember how you didn’t really until you met Kise and then he left?”

That was true.

“Do you want to move forward?” Takao asked.

Aomine hesitated but nodded. Yeah he did.

“Right, I want to show you something. Wait in the living room.”

Aomine went to the couch. Takao disappeared into his room and then came back with a DVD.

“What is….”

“In August when Kise came back he was on Nakagawa’s morning show. It was the day before he left.”

He still wasn’t sure what the DVD was until-

“You recorded it?”

“I’ve been uh tracking his movements in case he said something about you.”

“What?”

“Just, just watch.”

Aomine stared at where Kise was coming out to sit on the couch across from Nakagawa’s leather chair.

They talked about his work in France and his big contract with Dior for the cologne.

“Now tell me Kise, in the future can we expect more of this,” he projected a photo of Kise from Night Creatures. He was huddled behind a wall and covered in debris. “Or this,” another image flashed onto the screen.

Aomine’s jaw dropped. Kise standing there holding a gasoline can in nothing but black boxers. He was drenched in what Aomine assumed was water not gas, and he was glaring at the camera with a “bite me” expression.

His muscles… and his hair and his lips….

Kise was laughing in apparent embarrassment at Nakagawa.

“Slightly different aren’t they,” he said good naturedly all traces of embarrassment gone. “Well after Dior I don’t have anything lined up yet. But I can tell you that I’ve been trying to answer that question myself. I think right now what I’d really like is to be back in Japan.”

“Ah homesick?”

Kise laughed brightly. “I always miss my family even when I’m in Tokyo.”

“Oh how wonderful, a true family man,” Nakagawa said to the camera. “Quite eligible too, gentleman, am I right?”

Kise was laughing again and waving Nakagawa off.

“On that note, have you been seeing anyone? The media is surprisingly devoid of any romance concerning you.”

Aomine held his breath, fuck not that he knew why. Besides, this had happened months ago. But the audience seemed quieter too.

Kise was smiling at Nakagawa.

“Well I’m not seeing anyone is why.”

“Single? You? Come on come on come on if you’re single what’re the rest of us supposed to do?”

There was some laughter from the audience. Nakagawa was such a ham.

“Well I’ve been in love with someone since I came out, and I have no intention of dating anyone else,” and he looked sharp and determined and slightly haughty. Aomine had never seen him look like that before. It was almost like a different person with how serious he was.

Nakagawa stared at him, stunned before recovering himself.

“Well there you have it, even Kise Ryouta has to wait sometimes.”

Takao stopped the DVD.

Aomine stared. So he probably was still waiting then.

“I think you should tell him how you feel. Honestly and openly. No more friends stuff.”

“Ok.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song for this chapter: "[Without You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLAhRiUeJ8E)" by Oh Wonder


	15. You've Got Me Babe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kise...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the fluff. Fluff for days. Fluff to make up for all the non-fluff that has preceded said fluff. (∩_∩) I wish you a fluffy weekend.

He’d been busy with finals. And his last one was the same day that Kise came back home.

Aomine was nervous. So fucking nervous as he called K. He had one more day and then K would be back.

“Aominecchi.”

“Hey,” Aomine said into his phone. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I’ve got all my stuff together.”

“What time do you head out?”

“Nine.”

“And you get in at four?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok.”

Aomine laid there in bed feeling his heart beating freakishly fast.

“When can I see you?” he finally asked.

Kise was silent for a minute. And when he spoke it was quiet.

“When do you want to see me?”

“As soon as you land?”

Aomine was dead serious.

“I can call my building and tell them to let you in if you want to wait there.”

“Yeah, yeah ok.”

It was silent again.

“Listen Kise, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”

“I- me too. And I think we should talk about everything when I get back.”

“Yeah. I want to know what… what it is that you’re thinking.”

***

He and Satsu were in the elevator. It was 4:30. Kise was probably still in customs. Aomine had just finished his last test and booked it home to shower and come over.

He brought Satsu in and let her out.

“Dinner isn’t until five.”

She meowed.

He sighed and fed her.

“Just this once.”

Kise had said that he could do anything, but he found that he was too restless to sit still. Takao had made them dinner so Aomine deposited it in the fridge. There were fresh groceries in there. Someone must be paid to do that he thought.

Takao had also dragged him shopping. He was wearing white jeans, which really what was the point of them? If you sat on anything that hadn’t recently been windexed they were ruined. But he was also wearing a really soft yellow sweater. Aomine felt like he was wearing much more of a Kise outfit than an Aomine outfit. But Takao wouldn’t shut up about how important clothing was.

“You’re about to ask out a model. A _model_. Do you even understand what a miracle it is that he likes someone like you?” Aomine had scowled, but hadn’t said anything because unfortunately he knew exactly what Takao meant. He’d also convinced Aomine to wear the cologne the Kise had given him,band then Aomine had sprayed some right in Takao’s face just to get him to shut up.

Takao had also given him a bottle of sake, which now sat on the counter. Aomine rooted around for Kise’s sake set.

And after that he went to the den to watch TV. He flipped to the sports channel. And let his mind drift.

***

Finally the elevator doors dinged open. And Aomine bolted up and the hallway lightning fast.

Kise looked so tired, but he still gave Aomine a little wave.

Aomine grabbed Kise’s roller bag and set it in the hall before taking his carryon from him.

They went to the kitchen and as soon as he set the bag down on the island he turned around and just hugged him; he didn’t care, not anymore.

Kise looked surprised at first. But then he reached his arms up.

“It’s good to see you too Aomine,” he said as he melted into him. Aomine’s hands were on his back and he could feel every muscle as Kise held onto him. Kise sighed happily and then they pulled apart.

Kise was smiling, but then he was rubbing his eyes.

Satsu came up and circled his legs.

“Satsu,” he said as he pulled her up. “I probably look really bad huh?” he said staring at the cat.

“You don’t,” Aomine said.

Kise looked over at him. “Thanks, uh I think I’d like a quick shower though.”

“You don’t have to hurry, it’s fine.” He didn’t want K to do anything that he didn’t want to.

“Ok.”

“Do you need me to do anything?”

“Um, no just, you said you were bringing dinner?”

“Yeah it’s in the fridge. Where do you want to eat?”

“Den ok?”

“Yeah I’ll get it ready.”

“Thanks Aominecchi.”

Aomine couldn’t help but watch as Kise grabbed his bag and retreated to his room.

He sighed trying not to get his hopes up just… well just in case.

***

Kise smelled so fresh, his wet hair hanging as he sat on the couch next to Aomine.

“Did you make this?” he said staring at the sushi and sashimi in amazement.

Aomine couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Hate to disappoint, but it was Takao.”

“It looks so good….”

Aomine handed Kise his plate and then held out the tray so that he could take what he wanted.

“Tell him that I said thank you?”

“Yeah.”

Aomine had turned off the TV and they each picked out their food. He covered the rest because declawed or not Satsu looked like she was ready to pounce.

Aomine wasn’t sure if he should get right into it or not. He was in the middle of internally debating when Kise broke the silence.

“Aominecchi, is it ok if we talk while we eat?”

“Yeah,” he said as he grabbed another piece of sashimi. He didn’t want to feel so nervous, but he couldn’t help it.

“Do you want to go first or should I?” Kise said.

Aomine looked up at him. He looked nervous. Aomine felt his stomach flip.

“You can go first.”

“Ok,” Kise put down his plate. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I’m really sorry for what I did before.”

“You don’t have to apologize anymore.”

Kise hesitated.

“Ok,” he was looking down and then flitting his eyes back up to Aomine’s. It was weirdly alluring.

“I really like having you as a friend.”

‘And…’ Aomine thought; Aomine hoped.

“And, the past few months, well France felt really different than the first time around. I wasn’t upset. I could really go do things you know? And it just felt really good. My life felt like… like it was mine.”

“That sounds good,” Aomine said, because Kise seemed to be waiting for his opinion or approval or something. And Aomine was just happy to know that Kise was doing well.

“Yeah… but everything that I said before I left, it’s still true now. If you tell me that you don’t see me in that way then I won’t tell you how I feel anymore. But as it is nothing’s changed for me. I still love you. But if you don't like me then,” he breathed in deeply shaking slightly. Aomine clenched his hands so that he wouldn’t interrupt.

“Then I’d really like to still be your friend. And I won’t bother you with my feelings anymore.”

Kise was looking down. And Aomine didn’t like how scared he seemed.

“Hey,” he said softly. He kept looking down. “Hey look at me Kise.”

“If I look up and you tell me that you don’t like me I’m not going- I’m too tired to take it well.”

He wasn’t going to look up. Aomine scooted closer and put his arm on Kise’s shoulder. Lightly running his fingers over it.

“I like you,” Aomine said. And then he waited.

Kise slowly glanced up at him. His eyes slightly watery.

“I liked you a year ago.” And Kise was staring into his eyes now. “And I liked you four months ago when I was angry with you. And I still like you now.”

Kise was taking shaky breaths, laughing quietly and crying just a little bit too.

“I always like you,” Aomine said as he reached out to brush away Kise’s tears.

“You still want something more?”

Kise bit his lip and nodded.

“I want you to be my boyfriend,” Aomine breathed out.

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“Me too,” Kise said quietly.

Aomine's heart was beating faster than a bullet train and he was embarrassingly aware of the smile on his face. It was like his feelings were seeping out of him. From meeting K for the first time to the 16 months of confusion. All of it seemed to have been ticking down to this moment. And he didn’t care. Didn’t care that Kise could tell how much he liked him.

Kise was smiling, Aomine wanted to kiss him, but-

“Should we finish eating?” Kise said.

“Yeah, we can figure out the rest later,” he said laughing slightly. Even models seem to need food. But he didn’t mind. Being this close was what he needed. And he hadn’t felt this kind of contentment in a long fucking time.

Their conversation was pretty much the same as it always was. Except that Aomine found himself moving closer to Kise. And after he’d finished his food he let his arm rest behind Kise’s shoulders on the couch. And Kise kept staring at him looking happier than Aomine had ever seen him look.

It felt good and normal. And so much of Aomine’s life wasn’t like that. But with K he felt comfortable.

***

Aomine leaned against the island counter as Kise put the extra food back in the fridge.

“Aominecchi…” Kise said as he closed the fridge door and came over to Aomine. He let his head rest on Aomine’s shoulder, his hands going to his waist. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Aomine said quietly.

He tried to sync his breathing to Kise’s. Kise seemed so tired, and Aomine let his arms wrap around him loosely.

“Aominecchi is it ok?” Kise said as he lifted his head.

Kise’s eyes were big and slightly unfocused as he slowly slowly inched closer. Their mouths were almost touching.

Aomine didn’t answer him, he just brushed his lips over Kise’s lightly. And Kise, Kise was brushing back. And then they were kissing. His brain had turned off. All he knew was how it felt as Kise slowly traced his fingers down Aomine’s forearms. How Kise’s mouth felt on his. He opened his lips a little wider and felt Kise’s tongue drift forward. It was slow and careful and easy. And the way that Kise’s fingers now twined loosely with his made Aomine feel like Kise was treating him like something delicate. Something that shouldn’t be broken. Aomine reached one of his hands up to run through Kise’s hair. It was still damp, but it felt smooth. And Kise smelled so good. Clean and fresh and intoxicating. He trailed his fingers down Kise’s spine as lightly as possible while he slipped his tongue into Kise’s mouth. The way he tasted….

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that just kissing and wrapped around each other.

But eventually Kise pulled back slightly so that he could just breathe and Aomine took the opportunity to interlace their fingers again. He kissed Kise’s neck softly. Slowly making his way down to his collarbone.

“Kise….”

He felt Kise shiver against him and he sighed. Finally. Finally. Finally.

They were together.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time,” Kise said.

Aomine looked up feeling hazy and relaxed.

“I’ve wanted to do a lot more than that.”

Kise leaned closer, his arms reaching up to pull Aomine in and hug him.

Aomine rested his chin on Kise’s shoulder.

“I really like you Aominecchi.”

“Me too.”

Kise backed up but held his hand.

“I- I want to take things slow. If- if that’s ok.” He looked down between them as if searching for his words there. “You’re really special and I don’t want to mess this up.”

“You won’t. But slow is fine.”

Aomine kissed his forehead and Kise smiled at him.

They both stood there silently for a while.

Kise ran his hands down Aomine’s chest slowly watching the path they made.

“Yellow looks good on you.”

Aomine smirked.

“Everything looks good on me.”

Kise chuckled.

“That’s true.”

Aomine felt his face heat up. That was not the response that he was used to. He quickly looked away.

He could hear Kise laughing quietly, which just made him blush even more.

“I’m kind of tired,” Kise said. And Aomine glanced back.

“Can I- is it ok if I uh….”

“Stay?”

Aomine nodded, hopeful. But then he remembered what Kise had just said.

“If you want I can stay in the guestroom. To take things slow….”

“Please don’t,” Kise said as he walked backwards and led him by his hand down the hall.

“I didn’t really want to anyway,” Aomine said. Barely registering that he was moving.

***

They were in their briefs lying in bed and snuggled up under a fluffy comforter. Kise had given him a toothbrush and all throughout the time that they were getting ready for bed it seemed closer than Aomine had ever been with anyone. The way their fingers brushed as Kise handed him the toothbrush or the way their eyes met after Kise took Aomine’s clothes from him to hang over his desk chair. And finally the way they lay down next to each other and draped their legs together.

“You smell good,” Kise said as he cuddled closer.

“You’re the one who gave it to me,” Aomine said.

“Yeah, I like that you smell like me.”

Aomine was glad that Kise’s eyes were closed, because he was definitely blushing again.

He leaned forward to kiss him again.

They kissed slowly. Small close-mouthed kisses that barely counted, but felt so precious.

Aomine wasn’t even sure if he was awake or dreaming anymore.

***

He woke up to the feeling of a stiff neck. He gingerly turned until- holy shit.

He was staring right into Kise’s sleeping face. He blinked and tried not to breathe, afraid of disturbing Kise in any way.

His lashes were long and brown and his hair was slightly tangled. He probably should’ve dried it better before going to bed.

Aomine sighed. He was perfect, janky bedhead and all.

He stayed there just letting himself feel happy for a long time. But eventually he needed to get up and pee. He carefully extricated himself from the blankets, careful not to disturb Kise. Satsu was curled up at the bottom of the bed and Aomine grabbed her and his yellow sweater as he left the room.

He got her food out and then went to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth in a daze. He was dating K. K was his boyfriend. Aomine had a boyfriend…. Holy shit.

What time was it? He went to the kitchen.

8:12. Well it was later than he usually slept.

He rooted around to find Kise’s coffee apparatus. There was an espresso maker, which he took down enthusiastically.

He made his espresso and then went over to the balcony. It was freezing outside but he didn't care.

Well he didn’t for the first five minutes. The view was amazing. But then his nipples were stiff and no amount of sunrise in December or long yellow sweater could thaw out his balls. He retreated inside to watch from a safer location.

He sipped the espresso. Satsu came to curl around his ankles and he picked her up.

“No more splitting time,” he said as he kissed her on the top of her head.

He decided that now would be a good time to get his phone calls and messages out of the way.

He called his coach first to tell him that he’d be missing practice. He didn’t seem to mind. They held practice everyday, but were encouraged to take a rest day once a week. Or a ‘light’ day. And a lot of people traveled home to other prefectures during the holidays anyway

Then he checked his messages.

Satsuki: Dai-chan are you ok? Let me know when you’re ready.

He messaged her back quickly.

Aomine: It went well. I stayed over last night and we talked. We’re dating

He stopped to think for a minute.

Aomine: I’ll give you an update when I go home later.

Ok now Takao.

Takao: Daiki if you need me to pick you up I can

Takao: But I doubt you’ll need it

And then this morning

Takao: Guess you stayed out. I hope you were safe.

Takao: I’ll be at work all day but you can message me or call

Aomine: Yeah I stayed over. We talked it out.

Aomine: we’re dating

He squinted at the messages, his brain still waking up. Wait a minute…

Of course he was fucking safe!

Aomine: wtf uncle

Aomine: what kind of a manawhore do you think I am

Aomine: we’re fucking adorable unlike SOMEONE I know

He shut his phone grinding his teeth, before retreating back to the espresso maker for round two.

When it was ready he went back to the window. He’d just finished finals so he didn’t have homework. So all he had to think about was absolutely nothing. And god how he had missed that.

***

Kise’s alarm went off. He whined. He’d set it to nine to help curb the jetlag. But that didn’t make waking up feel any better. He pulled up the covers and then froze, eyes blinking open.

_Aominecchi…_

He peered over the blankets. The bed was empty. He felt slightly panicked, but then he caught a glimpse of white. Aomine’s pants were still on the chair. He crawled out of bed feeling like a zombie. He got to the bathroom and brushed his teeth before grabbing sweatpants and a plain shirt. He grabbed a pair for Aomine too.

And then he crept out into the kitchen. Aomine was standing by the window holding one of Kise’s cups and staring out. Kise didn’t want to disturb him, because… well because Aomine looked good in his kitchen, the morning light sweeping over his features. And it just seemed like he belonged there. Kise had never actually had a boyfriend in his kitchen before.

Boyfriend. Aomine. His-

He sneezed. Aomine whipped around.

“Morning,” Kise said as he walked into the kitchen blearily rubbing his eyes.

“Are you feeling ok?”

Kise felt himself smile lazily at how concerned Aomine sounded. But Aomine’s brow was furrowed.

“I’m fine,” Kise said. He walked over to stand next to Aomine and take in the view of the city.

Something smelled really good. He looked at Aomine before eyeing his cup.

“Uh I hope it’s ok, I used your espresso.”

“Yeah it’s ok, it just smells good.”

“Do you want this one? I haven’t started it yet and I can just make myself another.”

“I can make it myself,” he said feeling warm just at the offer. “Thanks though.” He let himself squeeze Aomine’s free hand as he turned and walked towards the island. He’d squeezed his hand just because he could. Just because he was allowed to. It was all kinds of new. And although yes he was 19, he still felt a rush just from this simple contact.

It must be because it’s Aomine, he thought, or because we waited so long…

“Are you sure you’re ok? You didn’t dry your hair and you were on a plane.”

It was true that he felt wiped, but it was more general exhaustion and not so much sick.

“I’m just exhausted. From work and the flight and I think waiting for the conversation last night. I was really…” he looked down feeling uncharacteristically shy. “I was nervous. Just if you had decided that you only wanted to be friends….”

“But I didn’t. I don’t.”

Aomine was squeezing his hand again. Kise looked up and Aomine looked so determined, so strong, so… so like someone who was staring at someone that they cared about.

“Yeah.”

He smiled.

***

“Ok favorite color,” Kise said.

Aomine had borrowed some of Kise’s sweatpants, after borrowing his shower that is. And now they were both on the couch in sweats and long sleeve shirts, and fuzzy socks because Kise had said that it was like your feet were being put into their own beds. Aomine kind of agreed.

“Blue.”

“Like the sky?”

“Like the night sky.”

“So the same color as your hair.”

“Oh, well yeah I guess. What about you?”

“Green like the grass in Hokkaido.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Yeah, but I get to go visit my family so that’s good. And they came to see me in France last year. My parents don’t get to travel so they were really glad to go.”

Aomine nodded. Kise’s feet were tucked up under his leg.

They’d spent most of the morning just talking and touching each other casually. It was the most time that they’d ever spent together. And yes Aomine was tired, but he also felt a slight buzz like every moment was a little electric.

Eventually they decided to do a Batman marathon – in honor of the first time that they’d met. And really they were both too tired to do much else.

"Kise?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm really happy."

Kise looked over and just stared at him. His cheeks getting slowly pinker.

"Me too." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kise's song for Aomine: "[Ocean Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4UlmjFjuw)" by Billie Eilish (Astronomyy Edit)  
> Aomine's song for Kise: "[Model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqHDwxgTuW4)" by Before You Exit (Acoustic version)  
> (´∇ﾉ｀*)ノ  
> I consider this to be the ending of the beginning. Coming next: relationship stuff.  
> This is the overall song for chapters 1 - 15: "[When I'm Gone](https://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMezX2RSZpM)" by Before You Exit


	16. One Gentleman Deserves Another

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m a doctor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crack and then more crack

Takao read through Aomine’s messages. He wasn’t that bad. Goodness. He too could be adorable.

“Hey I’m heading out for today.”

“Alright, see you on Monday.”

Takao waved before going to the station. He sent a message to Midorima. Maybe he wanted a drink too.

Kei’s was busy as usual.

“Kazunari!”

“Kei, happy Friday.”

“You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“It’s finally happened. The punk has graduated from worst gay ever to man with a boyfriend.”

“Happy Friday indeed. Takao as mentor of the month.”

“More like of the year.”

“Year?”

“It’s been a long time coming. Can I have a cassis orange?”

“Sure.”

“Mikoshiba!” Kei yelled.

A tall redhead came out of the back.

Takao stared where had he seen him before….

“Oh my god,” he muttered. He and Aomine had seen him at their café. He was the swimmer and Takao had been right! The guy was gay.

Well the day had come full circle.

“Here you are!” the guy said as he shoved the drink at Takao and grinned before going to a group of men that had been unabashedly staring at the man’s ass.

“So you finally got a replacement.”

“Yeah, he’s great right? The guys love him. Oh it’s Midorima.”

“Shin-chan!”

“Takao.”

“Screwdriver?” Kei asked.

“I have work tomorrow so I can’t.”

“You can’t have a drink?” Takao asked. Couldn’t he just have one?

“I’m a doctor.”

“You’re a doctor?” Kei said looking excited.

“Kei there are customers,” Takao said gesturing with a nod.

“Fine fine.”

Takao noticed that there were a few people standing around the bar without seats.

“Shin-chan let’s get a table.”

They went over to a high table in the corner.

“So what type of doctor.”

“Gynecology.”

Takao choked. He was laughing so hard. He could hear Midorima huffing and puffing and getting prissy.

“A gay man staring at vaginas all day,” he wheezed.

“There is nothing to laugh about. Women bare our children. There is nothing more miraculous than the gift of life and thus a woman’s uterus is the most precious part of the human body.”

He couldn’t breathe, he was clutching the table and trying not to fall off of his chair.

“A woman’s uterus? Are you sure you’re gay?”

“Stop being foolish. Of course I’m gay. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh Shin-chan you’re never going to get a boyfriend if you keep talking about women like that.”

Midorima crossed his arms and looked away huffing.

He looked upset… like actually upset.

“Shin-chan?”

“Takao you’re an idiot. I’m leaving. This was stupid.”

“Wait what why?” Takao was totally thrown.

“You clearly aren’t interested so I’m going. I won’t contact you again.”

“Wait Shin-chan what’re you saying?”

Takao scrambled up and grabbed Midorima’s arm as he made for the door.

“I thought we were friends,” Takao said as he followed Midorima.

Takao smacked into him as he stopped and turned to face Takao.

“Friends?”

“Yeah,” but now he wasn’t so sure. “Aren’t we?”

Midorima stared at him. Takao looked back. Midorima squinted his eyes. Takao backed up a little, aware of how close they were standing.

“I seem to have misunderstood something,” Midorima finally said. He sighed and looked up annoyed. “Takao I only come here to see you. I thought that our conversation last time was enough to indicate that I was interested in you as more than just a friend.”

“More than just a…” Takao blinked. Oh. OH.

“Shin-chan you were trying to ask me out.”

“Obviously, but clearly I’ve failed if you haven’t even realized that I’m interested.”

“Sorry Shin-chan I really missed it, sorry.”

He pushed up his glasses looking annoyed.

“So,” Takao said as he came forward again. “Do you want to go on a date or just skip to me going to your place?”

“I have no interest in getting a sex friend,” Midorima said stiffly.

“Me neither,” Takao said. Midorima seemed to be analyzing him again.

“Well,” he said stiffly, “then yes you are welcome at my place.”

“Hey Shin-chan?”

“Yes Takao?”

“You can top,” he said winking before swaying his hips and walking out, sure that Midorima was behind him.

***

“Takao I can only do one round, because I have to work tomorrow but I can assure you that I will prepare you fully and that I will last.”

Takao felt strangely worried. Was it possible that Midorima was in fact really experienced?

***

Takao was so sore. Holy shit. One round from hell. Yes he’d prepared him, but then yes he had in fact lasted for a long time. What the fuck did that green haired demon do? Takao had been so close so many times, but then Midorima had made it impossible for him to cum. And he’d looked so fucking pleased with himself.

Takao looked around for _Training On Top._

He found it and flipped to the index. There was a whole section on edging. That fucker. What a sadist. Not that Takao was complaining. Midorima had asked him before they’d done the deed. But Takao hadn’t thought that Midorima would be so good at it.

Oh my god and Midorima considered this only one round? Takao was way in over his head.

“I am so vanilla.”

He got his stuff together realizing that Midorima might literally devour him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly just took Midorima and molded him into a crack master.
> 
> \------   
> Also I've marked this work as "completed" but really the party continues in "You've Got the Love" part II AKA "You've Got Boyfriend."
> 
> (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑


End file.
